United now can’t wait to usher in a new era!
ERIK ten Hag stared stoically whenever the camera switched to him in the stands and he will need to perfect that expression for when he is standing on the touchline next season.
United avoided relegation to the Europa Conference League, which almost gives the denouement to their season a triumphant air. It was so chastening their supporters were more fixated on their phones, doubtless checking the scores at Anfield and the Etihad.
They started cheering upon news City had recovered from 2-0 down to go 3-2 up against Aston Villa, thus safeguarding the Treble amid the threat of a Liverpool quadruple.
“You Scouse b------s,” the United away-dayers chanted repeatedly, before breaking into a chorus of ‘20 times, Man United.’
On a day United and City sported worker bees on their kits on the fifth anniversary of the Manchester Arena attack, Manchester was united.
Ten Hag daren’t break into a smile even for the selfie-takers he politely posed for at the interval. The only outfield Reds player who performed in London was 13 miles away at Arsenal, where Ten Hag’s compatriot Donny van de Beek scored on his last appearance on loan at Everton.
The new manager was sitting next to John Murtough at Selhurst Park and in the row behind a member of the club’s communications staff in the first-half and his assistants Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren for the second.
At half-time, Ten Hag exchanged a brief glance with the chief executive Richard Arnold as he made his way down the gangway to the directors’ lounge.
Arnold, hunched over, clapped optimistically in the second half shortly after Brighton equalised against West Ham to bump United back up to sixth.
As full-time loomed, he could be seen smiling, possibly relieved by the turnaround at the Etihad.
Ralf Rangnick was never going to field a side as experimental or callow as Jose Mourinho did on the final day against Palace five years ago, although there was a belated full debut for Hannibal Mejbri.
The 19-year-old forced errors through pressing twice in the first 10 minutes and his eagerness was so visible he retrieved the ball for a throw and dashed back into his own third to halt Palace’s breakaway.
These were Mejbri’s first meaningful minutes in senior club football and Rangnick might wonder why he ignored an intense attacker accustomed to pressing. The teenager can expect to have a plane ticket booked in his name to Thailand for the start of the pre-season tour.
It would not be a complete Mejbri performance without overzealous challenges and some theatrics and Ten
Hag will have to finesse those attributes. He was inevitably booked for tangling with Wilfried Zaha. Hatchet men are certain to sharpen their studs to counter Mejbri’s playing and hairstyles and he easily makes enemies on the terraces.
Bruno Fernandes took mercy on him at 0-0, but with Palace ahead Fred and Alex Telles were not as forgiving and berated the Tunisian for ceding possession to allow Palace to counter-attack.
Fernandes erred far more egregiously for Zaha’s goal, slicing the ball towards the danger zone from a throw and playing United into trouble, as he did at Vicarage Road six months ago.
The triangle of Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Fred was always a means to an end for United that has not been justified this season and there was little rhythm in their reunion against a purposeful Palace.
David de Gea was worked by Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp and half-an-hour in Ten Hag looked on gruffly, his arms folded. His expression did not alter when the former United winger rolled the ball past De Gea.
The Reds drew a line under this season before it ended and that was evidenced by a team comprised almost entirely of players nigh-on certain to be at the club next season, with the exception of Edinson Cavani, an enforced selection in Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence. Cavani had two presentable chances to crown his farewell with a goal.
Other absences were more telling. Nemanja Matic, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jesse Lingard did not even travel and Dean Henderson did but was cut from the matchday squad. All are leaving or are due to leave.
Juan Mata came on for a likely farewell cameo, as did Shola Shoretire and Alejandro Garnacho to usher in a new era.
This was the Reds’ first defeat at Palace since 1991 and their first at the ground in 25 years. That was of little concern to United supporters, grateful Liverpudlians are not champions.