The 3-0 home victory over Brentford was the final match at Old Trafford for Manchester United. The players will be happy they do not have to face their own fans again this season following the embarrassing 4-0 loss at Brighton and Hove Albion in their penultimate game of the campaign in the Premier League.
The win over Brentford papered over the cracks that have been in place for months at Old Trafford. The paper was torn off at Brighton on Saturday and the cracks widened as Manchester United fell to a 4-0 loss.
Ralf's verdict on today's defeat.#MUFC | #BHAMUN— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 7, 2022
Ralf's verdict on today's defeat.#MUFC | #BHAMUN
The fact Brighton could have easily come away 6 or 7 goals tells you everything you need to know about a shocking performance by the Red Devils.
Brighton had previously scored only 12 goals in home Premier League games this season. Having faced Manchester United, they now have 16 goals to their name and a quarter of those goals have come in one match, against Ralf Rangnick’s team.
Even if Manchester United beat Crystal Palace on the final day of the Premier League season, which is highly unlikely given the performance at Brighton, they will finish on 61 points.
That is the lowest ever points total for Manchester United in the history of the Premier League. You must go back to 1991 to find the last time Manchester United finished a league campaign with fewer points.
In addition to the lowest points total in the Premier League era, this Manchester United team have set other, unwanted records. They will record the fewest wins in a Premier League season, with a maximum of 17 victories from 38 matches.
Manchester United have also recorded the most defeats in a Premier League campaign, with 11 losses to date and the potential for one more at Crystal Palace still to come.
As things stand ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park, Manchester United have conceded 56 goals this season. They have a goal difference of -1 and that is only going to get worse if they deliver another below par performance against Crystal Palace.
Not one player can say they played anywhere near what they are capable of in the defeat at Brighton and if new manager, Erik ten Hag, was watching on in Holland, he will know he has some massive decisions to make ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The job will not only be deciding which players he wants to keep and sell but who will be willing to listen to the new manager and implement his ideas.
Perhaps the one saving grace for the new manager is Manchester United are currently at an all-time low in the Premier League era. Even if Ten Hag can take them to fourth place next season in the Premier League, it will be hailed as an achievement because the bar is so low.