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With the fast onset of Euro 2020 in the summer, fans who like to watch football or perhaps bet on the games at a casinó found themselves distracted quite quickly. Manchester United fans did not get time to possibly reflect properly on last season. At certain times it appeared to look promising for the club, which is now going through a serious drought, not having won a trophy since 2017. 

Given Manchester United's previous success, this amount of time has produced some grumbling among the fans and a yearning to return to better times. Yet, all is not lost, under the guidance of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, they seem to be playing entertaining football again, which is something Manchester United is renowned for. 

Unfortunately, this is not enough to win titles and while finishing second, their best finish in years, cross-city rivals Manchester City claimed another Premier League victory. Finishing ahead of perennial enemies Liverpool was seen as a huge step though, as Liverpool had performed so well the year previously and were expected to maintain their progress.

The Goalkeeper Dilemma

It was a horrific end to the season for Manchester United number one David de Gea. A regular for the club for so long, his position has come under severe pressure by the steady improvement of Dean Henderson. In Manchester United's biggest game in years, the Europa Cup final, United fans could only pray as the game went to a penalty shootout. 

Fans of Villarreal would have been overjoyed, as de Gea does not have a good record of saving penalties. Backers of Manchester United hoping to make some cash may have had more luck playing online casino games. To make matters even worse, he then missed the deciding penalty, handing the trophy to Villarreal. It was hoped that this would not affect his confidence even more.

Henderson has bided his time, going out on loan to a host of smaller clubs to hone his skills. Errors and a dip in form by de Gea gave Henderson a chance this season, which saw him take advantage and become the regular goalkeeper. 

However, doubts remain about his inexperience and it is unclear if both will remain at Old Trafford. It may be a while before Henderson makes the spot his own, if at all, as some are unconvinced by his performances. This season is an important one for him to stake his claim.

Problems at the Back

Some fans felt the backline was just not strong enough, with Victor Lindelof being the most likely target to be replaced. While some younger defenders may go out on loan, Manchester United was looking for experienced players to put in the thick of the action, with Real Madrid's Raphael Varane signing for the club expected to provide a steady, experienced player to tighten up the backline. 

Since his fantastic performances at World Cup 2018 sparked Manchester United’s interest in signing him, Harry Maguire has only improved since he belatedly joined in 2019, and is now seen as a steady presence at the club. A good partnership with Varane is vital to the improvement of their defence, as regardless of their ability to score goals, a leaky backline will cost them in the long run. Defenders must be able to trust each other and at times, that has not been seen with previous pairings. 

A Time to Strengthen 

Unfortunately for Solskjaer, issues with the midfield also need to be looked at, with the likes of Fred, Scott McTominay, and Donny van de Beek being slated as just not good enough for the club. While they tend to give their all for the club, they are just not of the quality to win the Premier League as the fans crave. 

Declan Rice of West Ham had been mentioned as a possible signing to strengthen this area and certainly, his performances have been fantastic of late. He could potentially make a big difference in the middle of the park. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the club try to prise him away next summer, or possibly even January.

That said, they did finally manage to seal the deal for one of the more exciting English prospects to emerge in the last few years. The transfer saga with Jadon Sancho seemed to go on forever, with haggling over the sale price becoming a major issue between Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund. Fans have been pleased to see him pull on the famous red shirt and if he manages to reproduce the form he was displaying for Dortmund, well then, maybe a title challenge is not too far off after all.  

Boosts to the Forward Line

United fans were pleased to hear that Edinson Cavani had signed on for one more season at the club. A surprise signing, which pleased some but disappointed many due to his age, he has done nothing other than garner the adoration of the supporters for his displays of skill and energy. 

An experienced player, he is vital to have around the younger players of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. Because of the struggles endured by Anthony Martial last season, this was an important announcement as Cavani can guarantee exciting play and make a solid contribution on the goalscoring front too.

The player that had everyone buzzing at Manchester United, of course, was Ronaldo. Not many fans expected him to return to the club, although under their new interim manager, things have not worked out as well as everyone had hoped. Quite simply, this is a massive statement of intent by the club in their quest to claim the title. Yet, pressure now looms over the manager and Ronaldo himself seems frustrated by the poor quality of some of his teammates.

Summary

It's an important season for Manchester United as it may indicate the direction that the club is going in as they aim to re-establish themselves at the summit of the English game. It’s felt the money has been wisely spent, although doubts remain about the midfield. Fans are getting a little bit fed up with excuses and exciting players coming can only renew their optimism.

The signings of Varane, Sancho, and Ronaldo will hopefully do exactly that. While it remains to be seen if the whole team is up to the task, there is a buzz around the supporters that their club has managed to sign these players. 

It remains to be seen who the club will appoint as the next permanent manager to put the minds of the fans at ease. It has been a torrid few years for Manchester United, the success of Liverpool and Man City only compounding their misery. Maybe this will be the season they can finally get things back on track.