At one point it looked like the Europa League would be Man United’s best chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season, but an incredible run of form enabled them to qualify through the Premier League.
As a result, it’s possible that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won’t take the competition that seriously when it restarts, so there could be chances for the fringe players.
It’s expected that some players will need to leave this summer as Solskjaer looks to freshen up the squad, so here’s a look at some players who need to impress if they want a space in the squad next season.
Sergio Romero – Goalkeeper
Romero’s future will probably hinge on what happens with Dean Henderson and David de Gea, but it’s certainly possible that Henderson will come back and challenge for the number one spot – initially at least.
That would leave the Argentine battling it out with Lee Grant for the third choice spot, but that could change with some impressive performances here. If he’s able to impress then that could persuade Solskjaer to loan Henderson out again.
Eric Bailly – Centre back
Bailly only gets to start when United change their formation to play three at the back, and it’s possible that a new defensive addition could arrive this summer.
Harry Maguire needs someone with pace and aggression to partner him so Bailly could be a good fit, and some good performances here could give him another chance.
Diogo Dalot – Right back
He’s never going to get into the starting line up ahead of Wan-Bissaka, but he’s struggling to even make it into the match day squads just now, even when additional subs are allowed.
He’s able to play in either full back spot or on the wing, but he’s yet to nail down a regular role in the team. If he can impress in a certain position in the Europa League then at least he could stick to that and force his way into the team.
Daniel James – Right Wing
The Welshman played a lot more than expected this season but he did get found out once teams realised he mainly relied on his pace, and he could struggle for action next season.
Mason Greenwood has impressed on the right hand side of the attack and a new arrival could force him further down the pecking order, so he needs to impress and remind Solskjaer what he can do.
Andreas Pereira – Midfield
The arrival of Bruno Fernandes and the revival of Paul Pogba severely reduced his playing time, but he could still have a role to play in the team.
He’s a creative player who’s also deadly from set pieces and his versatility could be useful, but he needs to prove that he’s good enough to stay.
Odion Ighalo – Striker
Ighalo has mainly impressed in the Europa League since arriving at United so he should get more chances here, but he will also want the club to keep him past his initial loan spell.
It’s hard to make his case when he’s only getting cameos here and there, so he needs to start in these games and score regularly too.
It’s very unlikely that all of these players will play well enough to force their way back into the team, but two or three might impress enough to force their way into Solskjaer’s plans.