Erik ten Hag must now tell Sir Jim Ratcliffe the same thing he told the Glazers at Man United

Following last month's 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley, Manchester United will participate in the Europa League for a second time in three seasons next term. They will do so with Erik ten Hag at the helm.

The Dutchman has been kept on as manager after a thorough review by Ineos, which concluded with the news that, despite the speculation, the 54-year-old will be given then chance to lead United into a new era.

United failed to secure European qualification for 2024/25 after finishing eighth in the Premier League table. It marked their lowest-ever finish in the Premier League era.

However, United knew they had a second bite of the European cherry and would do so with a win over City. Goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo sealed a Europa League berth, relegating Chelsea to the Conference League and denying Newcastle United a spot in Europe altogether. It arguably kept Ten Hag in a job too.

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As a result, United could play up to 67 matches in all competitions next season. Should United require the knockout round, they could play up to 17 games in the Europa League alone.

With injuries having been a big problem throughout the 2023/24 campaign, there is no denying that United need as much strength in depth as possible. The Reds have been guilty of stockpiling players in recent years, meaning their squad has a bloated feel to it, but the difference in quality between their regular starters and those in the reserve trench is quite striking, highlighted by their eighth-placed finish.

United need a better level of quality