The story of Manchester United’s 2023/24 season was one of an ongoing injury crisis at the club.
Erik ten Hag‘s side changed the narrative at Wembley by slaying the Manchester City beast, emerging victorious in the FA Cup final against Pep Guardiola’s side.
While there were some injury returnees, it was not like a wand was magically waved and the team’s problems went away.
There were still issues to deal with in the lead-up to the final, including the loss of one key player right before kick-off.
Erik ten Hag talks about injured trio
Speaking to BBC Sport post-game, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag discussed how the team’s crippling injury issues this season had held them back.
While many have also criticised his tactics, he pointed out that the two issues were linked.
He said: “We didn’t have the players. We have seen the same things, not always good football – definitely not – but we had to make compromises all the fime and then you can’t play the football you want to play.”
Ten Hag also picked out three Manchester United players the team were missing against Manchester City.
He said: “I had maybe three or four times in two years we had the full squad available. Even today we were missing massive players like Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Casemiro.”
“I tell you [media] this all year – when the players are fit we can play good football. A very good performance against the best team in the world.”
Casemiro pulled out late with an injury and could not even make the substitute’s bench at Wembley.
Erik ten Hag deserves credit
It is the job of a manager to find solutions to the team’s problems, and on balance, you’d say it was a struggle all season and the team under-performed despite the issues.
When it came to the FA Cup, Manchester United managed to get the job done, winning a trophy the team had not managed to win since 2016, andjust once in the past 20 years.
Ten Hag deserves credit for getting United to Wembley, and for coming up with a gameplan which won the game.
Starting Rasmus Hojlund on the bench was a risk, but his system tore City apart in the first half, and Pep Guardiola’s moan that the better team lost was wide of the mark.
Ten Hag has warned United to keep him – insisting that he delivers when it comes to winning trophies. He’s not wrong.