Man Utd will end their worst season in more than a generation on Sunday and defeat in the Europa League final is a bitter pill for the club.
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Sport
23:29, 21 May 2025
Manchester United players
Manchester United players watch on as Tottenham celebrate winning the Europa League
Luke Shaw believes every member of the Manchester United squad must question whether they are good enough to stay at the club.
United’s worst season in more than 50 years won’t be salvaged by a trophy after they lost the Europa League final to Tottenham in Bilbao, turning in a performance that summed up a dreadful campaign.
They return to domestic action on Sunday for the final day of the Premier League season and defeat to Champions League-chasing Aston Villa will mean they would have lost half of their 38 league fixtures.
Ruben Amorim has won just six of his 26 league games in charge of United and the spotlight will now fall on his role as head coach, but Shaw insists it’s the players that must take responsibility for an abysmal campaign, and they should start by asking themselves whether they are cut out for United.
“It's hard to put into words the season, but I think for a club like Manchester United it's not really good enough," he said.
“I think definitely me and I think all of us have to question ourselves tonight. Are we good enough to be here? Because this club, this season, it's not acceptable. We know that and it's down to us.
“So like I said, I think it's really tough to take. It's hard to say anything else really apart from what I've just said. I think we have to look at ourselves. Something has to change.”
Shaw wore a pained expression as he spoke to reporters in the mixed zone after the match and struggled to get the words out at times.
The 29-year-old has been at Old Trafford for 11 seasons and has seen United's decline first-hand and he believes a lot comes down to the mentality within the squad and the way confidence has been eroded during that time.
"I think a lot of it has to do with mindset," he said. "I think self-belief is a big thing in football. I think a lot of times this season we've gone into games not believing that we can win.
"I think there's a lot of things that need to be changed. I think that's why Ruben is 100% the right person. He knows and he can see day in and day out at the club, not just on the pitch but off the pitch, around the club. The standards, the mindset, like I said, I think he sees everything.
"I think he knows what he needs to change. I think of course you can't change everything at once. Of course I think the results have not been good at all.
"But I think ultimately it's us as players that step onto that pitch. It's us as players that need to take the responsibility of these results. Like I said, its not good enough for a club like this. I think this club should be at the top of the Premier League, fighting for big trophies. At the moment it's hard to say but we're nowhere near that."
United's Europa League final defeat means they miss out on the Champions League and the £100m+ in revenues that come with it, further setting back a rebuilding project that is badly needed under Amorim.
"I think everyone knew how big this game was. Not just to win a trophy but what kind of winning the Europa League, the Champions League, the competitions that this club should be in," he said.
"It's extremely damaging. We'll have to stand up and take the criticism. Because like I said, us as players, it's not been nowhere near good enough for a club like Manchester United.
"But what I would like to say is thank you so much to the fans that have stood by us this season. I think of course it's not been easy. Like I said, we take full responsibility but I'd just like to say sorry to them for this season. But also thank you so much for the support.
"Because we take notice of it. Like I said, this season has been nowhere near good enough. But they're there for games and their hearts are in it. I think we really appreciate that."