Slump was not Gunnar be a surprise
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER watched Manchester United crash to a nightmare eighth defeat in 12 then admitted he saw it coming.
The Norwegian kept to his pledge to give youth a chance in their curtain call as Mason Greenwood became United’s youngest Premier League starter.
But while the 17-year-old striker shone, the rest stank the place out as an already-relegated Cardiff won 2-0 – their first victory at Old Trafford in 65 years.
United finished as close to the dropzone as they did to champions City – 32 in either direction.
Solskjaer, taunted with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” by fans of a Bluebirds side he bossed, said: “We’ve been poor and hit a brick wall. It is very disappointing and a big plus the season is over.
“Now we can draw a line over it and look forward.”
Asked if he was surprised at the slump, he added: “No. It’s not a shock.”
Cardiff led thanks to Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s penalty, Diogo Dalot punished even though the scorer seemed to slip after taking an air shot.
United were booed off at the break and it went from bad to worse when Scott McTominay was bundled off the ball as Josh Murphy squared for Mendez-Laing to bury at the far post.
While United’s top-four bid had already been blown, Arsenal’s failed too despite a 3-1 win at Burnley.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang took his league tally to 22 – punishing Jack Cork’s sloppy ball back to a flatfooted Ben Mee then smashing a volley – to share the Golden Boot with Liverpool pair Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.
Sub Eddie Nketiah then scored his first Premier League goal with the last kick, the ball squirming under keeper Tom Heaton.
Aubameyang declared himself happy to share the prize and said: “My team-mates knew I was in contention but I said nothing because I didn’t want them to only focus on me.”
Local rivals Spurs sealed the final Champions League place with a 2-2 draw at home to Everton.
Christian Eriksen struck the goal of the game from a 75th-minute free-kick after Theo Walcott had cancelled out Eric Dier’s six-yard finish and Cenk Tosun had bundled home.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino will not sit down to discuss his future with chairman Daniel Levy until next month, after the Champions League Final.
The Argentine said: “This is our best season in our five years. I am so happy, so pleased.
“What we have achieved this season – top four and Final of the Champions League – it is difficult to assess now. But in time the people will realise what we achieve. I think we can make history.”
A 0-0 draw at Leicester was enough for Chelsea to take third on a day in-demand Eden Hazard walked down the King Power tunnel to chants of “We want you to stay”.