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All or nothing: Jose's United fate hangs in the balance

Chris Smalling and Marcus Rashford could turn out to be key men in Jose Mourinho's United career
Chris Smalling and Marcus Rashford could turn out to be key men in Jose Mourinho’s United career

There’s no such thing as an insignificant European final – all carry a certain season-defining weight and have the potential to make or break the careers of players and coaches. But more so than ever, tonight’s Europa League final is vital to Manchester United.

The Red Devils have been on a quest to recover their status as one of the perennial contenders for major honours ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. And it’s fair to say things haven’t exactly gone to plan.

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After regression under David Moyes and stagnation under Louis van Gaal, there have been signs of progress under Mourinho this season but you have to strain your eyes to see them. Rather than having his usual instantaneous impact at a new club, the Portuguese has found United a particularly difficult ship to right, and 20-times champions can ill-afford another season of slow transition and managed expectations next term.

That, as much as any other factor, means that overcoming Ajax in Stockholm tonight has become one of the most important fixtures in the Old Trafford club’s recent history.

Having finished sixth in the Premier League this term, lifting the Europa League trophy for the first time will complete United’s vast collection of honours. More importantly it will ensure their qualification for next season’s Champions League.

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Failure to do so would see them miss out on £22.5million in sponsorship via a contractual stipulation in their lucrative deal with Adidas, which stated that the sportswear giants would withhold that figure if United fail to appear in the continent’s premier club competition two years in a row.

In addition to the financial ramifications, the club’s ability to attract the kind of superstars they covet to aid their rebuilding process will be severely hampered. Granted, last summer United were able to pull off the world record signing of Paul Pogba from Juventus, fending off rival interest from European champions Real Madrid.

Paul Pogba
Point to prove: Paul Pogba

At that stage United were only facing a single season outside the Champions League with all signs pointing towards that being an anomaly rather than the norm. Now, selling prospective signings on the idea that all is well with the Old Trafford recovery project might not be so easy.

Indeed, this week, it has been widely reported that Mourinho’s top summer target, Antoine Griezmann, is waiting on the outcome of the Europa League final before deciding whether to move to the red half of Manchester.

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The domino effect of missing out on their top targets this summer could mean that United find it doubly hard to regain a place in the Premier League top four next season and the campaigns that follow; their rivals will certainly not be standing still.

Mourinho, too, from personal perspective, needs to win this game as much as the club. After an especially toxic end – even by his standards – to his second spell at Chelsea and a mediocre season in what was always said to be his dream job, the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan boss is fighting accusations that he is finished at a top-level manager.

The Portuguese’s ability to coach at the elite level will not be determined by whether or not United beat a youthful and dynamic Ajax side – no one-off fixture could merit such a broad conclusion. But there are plenty of people framing it that way and a loss will become yet another stick to beat the United manager with.

Win, and Mourinho gets to control the narrative, just as he has throughout his career. If this single game cannot tell us about the manager’s ability, or lack thereof, to cut it at a club the size of United, likewise it cannot alone signify a return to the good old days.

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But the United boss – who has won 11 of the 13 major finals he has contested in his career – will have a tangible measure of success to direct his detractors gaze towards.

Make or break

Having lumped all of his Champions League qualification eggs into his Europa League basket weeks ago, and received more than his share of criticism for doing so, Mourinho can’t afford to fall at the final hurdle.

Their opponents may lack experience – the Ajax squad has an average age of just 22.7 years – but they are technically gifted and play with a certain swagger, so United will have to be at their best to avoid an upset.

Mourinho always errs on the side of caution in crucial fixtures; with potentially more to lose than gain in the Europa League final, he may be forgiven for doing so on this occasion.

More than just a cup final, this game represents a fork in the road for United; it’s imperative they take the winning path.