This was a strange season. I almost don't know whether it was good or not and whether it ending is a positive at all. We were on such a good roll after all you kind of wanted it to continue.
It also was a season of two halves: two managers. Two different formations and styles. Two different level of results.
And yet, I think BOTH yes both, played a massive part in the positives for this season, and the upcoming season.
Trust me, that last point will prove to you why even Ruben Amorim played a big role in shaping this season and potentially next season.
Here are the five positive takeaways from what has been one hell of a campaign.
1. Finishing 3rd
At the start of the campaign, the main goal of the season was to get back into Europe's elite club competition. Hell, it would've been getting back into Europe at all considering we didn't play in any of the three competitions this season.
But yes, the main target was the UCL.
And that has been achieved.
Finishing 3rd however...
If someone were to tell you at the beginning of the campaign that United would finish 3rd - and comfortably too - you would've asked them 'what are you smoking and can I have some of that' because they must truly be out of this world.
Yet, here we are.
A lot of credit has to go to Michael Carrick and his staff because even though United weren't far off the UCL spots in 6th, just 3 points off of top 4 (5th wasn't confirmed as a place in the Champions League at that point) before Ruben Amorim's sacking, no one would've expected United to end up in 3rd with a total of 71 points.
This position and points tally is among the best we've had post-Sir Alex Ferguson.
That in itself tells a tale but it is still a worthy achievement given where we were a year ago.
United have also made the biggest improvement of any team in the PL this season.
2. Signings
And I believe a huge part of this was because of the four players brought in last summer: Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens.
When they came in, I doubt many would've thought that the new front line would go on to score 10+ goals each with Mbeumo being top scorer in all competitions with 12.
With Lammens, most of us didn't even hear of his name before joining United, yet he has come in and sort of revolutionized our defense. He's given us a confidence that we hadn't had with our goalkeeper for the past two seasons in that Lammens has done the basics so well, we praise him to the point where it sounds like he's prime Peter Schmeichel! This is all from a young Belgian player who had no PL experience and cost just £18m.
Best signing of the season.
More than this, with the three out field players, they've had to change to a different formation and approach with the different managers, which is never easy. Yet so far, they've shown that they can, to some extent, adapt as necessary to work in both styles. Yes improvements still need to be made - Mbeumo himself said that he's had an "average" season 👀 - but they've more than displayed their quality.
United are also a better team with them in it and we see just how much of a difference they make when they aren't there.
I believe we had the best window last year. This has now raised the standard.
3. Michael Carrick
I never saw this coming 😳.
Carrick has exceeded expecations and has deserved his position as permanent boss.
Again, I didn't think we'd do this well under him to the point where we've accumulated the most points since his arrival in January.
Games - 19
Wins - 12
Draws - 5
Losses - 2
Points - 41/57
That is quite a record.
More than this, Carrick has stabilized things. He's brought more belief and confidence to the players. He's kept it simple and didn't overcomplicate matters. And he made us fans believe that perhaps the glory days might return, although we've said that quite a few times before.
But that feeling is at least there whether we are delulu or not.
All of this is made greater by the fact that he's an ex-legend. It's feels different when a former player is the one to turn things around.
There is a long way to go and the hard work starts now but even as a doubter, I cannot deny that Carrick has done a fantastic job and is worthy of being the next manager.
Bring home no 21 next season, Michael 🙏.
4. Bruno Fernandes
History maker. Record breaker.
Captain magnifico has gone above and beyond this season as with that assist at Brighton, he broke the all-time record beating two legends in Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.
I don't think people realize just how incredible that is.
Bruno beat every single player who's ever played in the 34 years of the Premier League to this milestone.i
Sheer greatness.
On top of that, he's won United player of the season (for the 5th time - more than anyone else), FWA player of the season and most recently, the Premier League player of the season. Only one remains to clean house. It would be criminal if he didn't go on to win the PFA player of the season as well given all that he's won already.
He's also simply carried the team as in breaking one record, he broke another.
By getting 21 assists, Bruno racked up a total of 24 points from those assists meaning that he tops that chart as well: most points won via assists in PL history [LiveScore].
This amounts to a total of 34% of all our points this season. And if you take away his 24 points won, we would have 47 putting us in 14th, just one spot above where we finished last season.
We really are Bruno FC 😭.
A deserving player of the season.
We've all also seen his Diary Of A CEO interview in which he truly opened up. Bruno showed a side of himself that we never see but is perhaps the best example of what a great human he is.
Everyone talks about him in a positive way as few have anything bad to say about him as a person and regardless of what he does on the pitch, the records he breaks, or how he leads the team, being a great person is the greatest thing anyone can do.
Leading by example.
What a man.
We are truly lucky to have him as I don't really know what we'd do without Bruno Fernandes.
5. Ruben Amorim's Explosive Presser
I believe that this was the best moment of the season.
Some might think that it's foolish of me to include a manager's crash out in what would be his final presser.
But why it is so important is because Amorim called out the club. He called out those above him and said that they need to do their job while he needs to do his.
And I love that!
I love it when a manager calls out the board for not being good enough. That honesty from Ruben was perhaps the thing I loved most about him in that he didn't shy away from what he was thinking and feeling.
And you know what? He was right!
Amorim was right to call out the club. He was right to question whether they are doing their jobs to the level required of Man Utd or not. It's something that us fans question all the time.
This crash out was curtosy of the club not backing Amorim in January when it was clear that signings needed to be made for the push for the second half of the season.
United have never really taken the January transfer window seriously as we hardly ever sign players but you look at what City did for example by bringing in both Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo - a target of United's and see how much they've benefitted from these two signings.
They helped them win both domestic cups whilst being two important players for the remainder of the season as well as for seasons to come.
The one piece of business we did do in January was Bruno Fernandes. Didn't turn out too bad, did he?
Why we neglect this window, no one really knows.
Calling out United's board in his final act of defiance has now put the pressure back onto them.
People may have forgotten about this moment as it might have become diluted due to how poor the results and football was under the Portuguese and also because of how well Carrick has done.
Yet as the season is now over, the focus has shifted to what many would say is one of our most important transfer windows we've had in a long time.
With the club adding even more pressure by stating that they want to win the league in the next couple of years for 'Project 150', this means that they really have to go all out in this window.
Carrick has both those who back him and his doubters but all of us agree that the club have to give him what he wants otherwise he will fail just like all the others.
They can either prove Amorim wrong, or prove him right.
It's now on the board.
Ruben Amorim | Image credit: Getty Images via The Busby Babe
Champions League trophy | Image credit: Getty Images via Goal
Bruno Fernandes, Michael Carrick, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko | Images via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)