It would be a little bit of an understatement to say Manchester United have failed to reach the heights the fans expected of them this season. At the start of the campaign, some believed United could possibly challenge for the title and add some much-needed silverware to the trophy cabinet - then it all went wrong.
The best United can hope for is a sixth-place finish and with the appointment of Erik ten Hag, the club's project will have to start all over again. The young team that it was hoped would eventually challenge for trophies under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now a distant memory.
One of the sides United were forced to battle it out with for a place in the top four after their 'title tilt' was torn to shreds was Arsenal. The Gunners' defeat to Newcastle on Monday night looks to have sent their top-four push in the same direction as United's, and fans at Old Trafford will have started to notice some eerie similarities between Arsenal's plight and their own not so long ago.
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Mikel Arteta has recently signed a contract extension in north London, just like Solskjaer did at United in the summer. But with the Gunners losing 2-0 at Newcastle, a top-four finish that would have signified clear progression is now out of their hands.
If Solskjaer had won the Europa League final against Villarreal last term, the momentum of his project would have likely continued, especially with a second-place finish in the Premier League. But with one loss the narrative changed. Questions started to be asked about whether the Norwegian was the right fit and those doubts started to permeate the squad.
Like United under Solskjaer, Arsenal also have several players that they are hoping to develop over time. But questions have to be asked about whether these players will ever be good enough to achieve a top-four finish. In fact, Arteta has arguably done a worse job at Arsenal than Solskjaer did at United, so they now need to consider whether he will be able to grow as a manager.
Aaron Ramsdale was overperforming earlier in the season but towards the end of the campaign his numbers have started to drop and he is conceding more goals. This will remind United fans of how Bruno Fernandes was an unstoppable force at the start of the season but towards the end his goal and assist output slumped.
The top-four race this season is also poor. United achieved a second-place finish last season because Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool and a number of other teams failed to impress. The race for Champions League football this season has been very similar.
There are ways that Arteta and Arsenal can rectify their problems. Unlike United and Solskjaer, they could address their key issues in the transfer market and also learn from their mistakes. The Norwegian was renowned for his lack of squad rotation.
United fans will be hoping that Arteta and Arsenal don't make improvements and their project under the Spaniard fails as it will make it easier for Ten Hag to succeed. On the other hand, some fans may want Pep Guardiola's apprentice to continue in his role to ensure they don't appoint a better manager who could cause problems.
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