Manchester United: Three things we learned from the 1-0 victory over Watford

Despite experiencing two unconvincing displays and results away to West Ham and Brighton in recent weeks, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United have ended the Premier League 2017-18 season in the right way as they completed a dominant victory over Javi Garcia’s Watford.

The match was expected to be an interesting one given that both sides did not have much to play for, on the other hand, the outcome was different as the home team did not have their strongest line-up on the pitch and the visitors were comfortable in possession from time to time. In the end, Marcus Rashford’s goal in the 34^th minute proved to be the main difference between both clubs.

Here are the three things we learned from United’s final fixture of the Premier League season…

Mourinho’s men end the campaign on a high note

Throughout the 2017-18 season, the main focus has been on the noisy neighbours Manchester City running away with the league title or the number of questions on who will remain in the relegation zone until the final day of the campaign. Reviewing United’s season is not easy for sure, given that they left the Champions League very early and finished 19 points behind Guardiola’s Man City.

However, finishing in second place is a sign of progress, as the Red Devils have failed to finish in the top three positions within the Premier League since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. A lot of Manchester United supporters including myself were expecting instant success in the league, yet many forget the fact that the current squad still has a number of holes that quickly need filling.

Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford should not start in the FA Cup final

Mourinho utilised the Watford fixture in a clever way, as he started a few regular starters and filled the rest of the team with squad players, which allowed him to understand who to pick for the FA Cup final. Overall, his potential selection would be similar to the ones he has used in the big games, though, a few injuries in recent weeks could force him to make some very late adjustments.

Looking back at the last couple of games, Juan Mata and Marcus Rashford should not be starting in the final given that they lack the consistency and mentality to make a huge impact in a big fixture. Many will be hoping that Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku return from injury and are available against Chelsea, two individuals who have been important for Manchester United this season.

Without a doubt, Michael Carrick will go down as a Manchester United and Premier League great

Michael Carrick has had a wonderful 12-year career at Old Trafford, from winning the Premier League title in his first year at the club to winning the Europa League last season to complete the full jigsaw. Keeping it short, the 36-year-old Englishman has practically won all the competition he has played in, showing that he has had a successful time at the club and he played a major part in it.

Over the last five to ten years, Carrick has proven to be a quality player who made everything look so easy in the middle of the field and was always a few steps ahead of the opposition. On top of that, his influence on and off the pitch was more than important, as managers and players at Manchester United in the past had gone up to him for advice. Like Mourinho has stated recently, the former West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur player will have a huge role at the club in the coaching section.