United’s Mixed Bag: From Euphoria to Despair and Back Again
Manchester United enter the new season on uncertain ground. After the exhilarating highs of Erik ten Hag’s debut campaign, which saw a Carabao Cup triumph and a third-place Premier League finish, the Red Devils plummeted to a disastrous eighth-place last term.
The shock of the Champions League group stage exit compounded the misery, but a dramatic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City provided a much-needed respite for Ten Hag, securing his job and offering a glimmer of hope for the future.
Rasmus Hojlund emerged as United’s top scorer last season, despite missing the early part of the campaign through injury. His 16 goals across all competitions were a respectable return but fell short of the heights reached by Marcus Rashford the previous year. The England forward endured a difficult campaign, allowing Hojlund to claim the club’s golden boot.
As United look to reclaim their place at the Premier League summit and end an eleven-year title drought, Hojlund will be expected to build on his promising debut season. However, with the Dane facing a similar injury setback at the start of the new campaign, the race for the club’s top scorer is wide open.