According to Roy Keane, Manchester United's season is a failure. The English giants are 13th in the Premier League and have been knocked out of both domestic cup competitions. According to the former midfielder of the club, even winning the Europa League can't save their season anymore.
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With a disappointing 13th place in the Premier League, an FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham, and an early elimination by Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup, Manchester United is enduring one of its most turbulent seasons in recent memory.
Once a club synonymous with silverware and top-tier consistency, United now finds itself clinging to its last hope of success in the form of the UEFA Europa League.
On Thursday at 21:00, the Red Devils face Olympique Lyonnais in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. This tie represents far more than just a potential path to European silverware it could define how this entire campaign is remembered. For some fans and pundits, a triumph in the Europa League might be enough to bring some shine to an otherwise bleak season. But for others, including club legend Roy Keane, even lifting the trophy wouldn’t be sufficient.
"Even winning the Europa League wouldn’t make the season a success," Keane said during an episode of the Stick To Football podcast. "Not with that trophy, no. Maybe it would be for other teams who win it, but not for Manchester United. The only benefit is that it gives them a Champions League spot. But just winning that competition shouldn't be enough for United. Absolutely not."
Keane, known for his no-nonsense attitude and high standards from his playing days, believes United’s current situation is far below the expectations that come with the badge. Thirteenth in the league, behind the likes of Bournemouth and Wolves, with no domestic cup run to speak of, it’s hard to argue that the season hasn’t fallen drastically short of even modest ambitions. And with Erik ten Hag already shown the door, it adds another layer of instability to a club desperately seeking direction.
Yet not everyone within the club’s legacy circle shares Keane’s strict view. Gary Neville, another United icon and fellow pundit, offered a slightly more forgiving perspective during the same discussion.
"The reason I still think the season would be a success if they win the Europa League is because we knew from the start that Manchester United couldn’t win the Premier League," Neville explained. "In theory, they could only go for three trophies: the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Europa League. If they end up winning one of those, I’d say that’s a successful season."
However, even Neville admitted there are complications. "There’s one big ‘but’: they’ve sacked a manager and are 13th in the league that’s just poor. That’s not what this club is about. You can’t ignore that, even if there is a trophy at the end."
This divide in opinion highlights the current identity crisis Manchester United finds itself in. The days of dominating English football under Sir Alex Ferguson seem like a distant memory, replaced by managerial instability, inconsistent performances, and a squad that appears far from cohesive. The potential for a Europa League trophy might offer a glimmer of hope, but for many, it's merely papering over deeper cracks.
The clash against Lyon will be a massive test. The French side may not be at their best in Ligue 1, but they remain dangerous in European competitions. United, meanwhile, is under intense pressure. Fail to win, and the season will be written off as a complete disaster. Win, and debates will rage on about whether that single piece of silverware is enough to justify the campaign.
What’s clear is that Manchester United's standards from fans to former players remain sky-high. Whether they can live up to those expectations in the final stretch of the season remains to be seen.
Updated: 10:57, 10 Apr 2025
