That was to be the last time United were beaten at home in a Premier League campaign that ends against Fulham here on Sunday. Victory over sitting ducks Chelsea last night confirmed that Ten Hag has indeed lifted the club back among Europe’s elite.
That was his No 1 target when he arrived from Ajax last summer and the Dutchman deserves great credit for achieving it. This has been a hugely encouraging season and all the more so if United can add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup when they meet Manchester City at Wembley in eight days’ time.
Ten Hag needed a point from these final two games to be sure of a top-four finish, and his players did it at the first time of asking in a rather bonkers free-for-all. It finished 4-1 but could easily have been 10-5.
Despite the scoreline, if United play like this at Wembley it could get ugly. Ten Hag knows City will not be nearly as wasteful as Chelsea.
United blew their fair share of chances too in a game strewn with errors. There have been some epic encounters between these two clubs down the years, and this wasn’t one of them.
The architect of United’s victory was Casemiro, five days after his acrobatic overheard kick proved decisive at Bournemouth.
The Brazilian scored the first and helped create the second for Anthony Martial with another moment of magic. Bruno Fernandes got the third from the penalty spot before Marcus Rashford celebrated his 30th of the season.
Victory came a cost, however. Brazil winger Antony was stretchered off in the 28th minute after sustaining an injury to his right ankle in a challenge with Trevoh Chalobah and must now be a serious doubt for Wembley.
Luke Shaw also went off with a back problem. At least, Antony’s replacement Rashford looked sharp after two games out through injury and illness.
So did Alejandro Garnacho even though the teenager could have had a hat-trick after coming on in the 70th minute. Both players are capable of making life difficult for City.
And what of Chelsea? The end of a wretched season – and the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino – cannot come soon enough.
