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| Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho celebrate victory with Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United, after the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final between Manchester United and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford on March 17, 2024 in Manchester, England. |
Man Utd face Newcastle United in their final Premier League home match of the season tonight.
Erik ten Hag has confirmed Manchester United players will still undertake a lap of honour after their home campaign comes to an end against Newcastle tonight, despite enduring a disastrous season that could yet end trophyless.
At the end of a league campaign, teams often embark on a lap around the pitch so that they can receive applause from the crowd and also thank them for their continued support across a season.
United are on course for their lowest ever finish in the Premier League era, while they are also in danger of recording their lowest points total during that time period. They have already lost 19 matches across all competitions, four of which came in the Champions League, and were humiliated when they last hosted Newcastle in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup.
Despite that, United could still qualify for Europe and end the season with the FA Cup, though that relies on defeating local rivals Man City in the Wembley final later this month.
It means that while it might be more of a lap of appreciation rather than honour, Ten Hag believes it is still an important thing to do: “Yes we will do. Yes, of course. Good times and bad times we are together, the fans are showing we are together, so yes we will do.”
When asked if it could signal his own chance to say goodbye to the Old Trafford crowd, the United dismissed the continued speculation surrounding his future. He added: “Goodbye? For me? It's not how I feel it and how I see it. It's not the way I go to start that lap of honour for the fans, no. Planning for next season? It's the answer to the questions you've made so often. The same answer.”
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