Tottenham Hotspur favourite Gareth Bale pictured at the Europa League final
Tottenham Hotspur favourite Gareth Bale pictured at the Europa League final
Manchester United's Jekyll-like performances in the Europa League this season were 90 minutes away from potentially saving their campaign and creating a solid platform for Ruben Amorim to rebuild this squad.
Instead, Mr Hyde showed his ugly face in Bilbao with United putting in a performance we have become accustomed to in the Premier League. Yes, Amorim's men huffed and puffed in the second half to find an equaliser, but rarely was Guglielmo Vicario's goal threatened.
The dejection that has followed the final goes way beyond just the disappointment of losing a showpiece game. It is a realisation of just how bad this season is.
We were told that the Premier League was being sacrificed to bring Europa League glory - instead, it was sacrificed in vain. At the full-time whistle, United had to take their medicine but one comment should leave the club reeling and desperate to fire back.
Speaking pitchside at the San Mames Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur favourite Gareth Bale described the Reds' performance as 'Unitedy'. This rather bleak moniker was branded on Tottenham prior to Wednesday night for their inability to win major trophies.
The 'Spursy' mentality stuck with the north London club for 17 years, and while there are no guarantees that this win will lead to success long-term, it is a monkey off their back. United, though, cannot afford to drop into the same malaise.
United find themselves at a crossroads now. On the one hand, they can learn to accept this new 'Unitedy' branding - pick up a few good results here and there, but never trouble the history books.
Or, they can use it for motivation to right the wrongs next season. Even if it is a Carabao Cup success, United need to bring back that winning feeling and quickly otherwise, one trophyless campaign can be followed by another.
Accepting that you are a team who just cannot get the job done is the problem which haunted Spurs for the longest time. United's rebuild will now be modest in the summer, but even if a top six finish is not forthcoming in 2025/26, they need to bring some positivity back next year because, at the moment, the club is at rock bottom.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.