Manchester United played 61 matches in 2020/21 in a campaign which was more condensed than any other in modern times.
It was a slow start, which can perhaps be explained by the lack of pre-season and rest between seasons.
United managed to secure a second place finish without any realistic competition from the turn of the year.
United did okay in the cup competitions – reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, the semis of the EFL Cup and of course concluded the campaign with a Europa League final defeat in Gdansk.
There were changes over the course of the campaign, with 31 different players featuring, including a host of academy products in the closing weeks of the season.
But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team selections had enough consistency to them that seven players featured as starters in first and last match of 2020/21 – the 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace and the aforementioned Villarreal loss.
This is the side which lined up to start against Palace on September 19 2020.
David de Gea, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford were the seven players to feature in both game one and game 61.
This is the line-up Ole Gunnar Solskjaer picked to chase silverware on Wednesday night.
Harry Maguire would certainly have retained his place for the final too if not for an injury which limited him to a spot on the bench.
Anthony Martial was also injured for the game in Gdansk. But Edinson Cavani has overtaken him as United’s first choice striker – and wasn’t signed by the time of the Palace defeat.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was carrying a small injury which ruled him out against his former club and would have been another consistent selection here. He hardly missed a game in 2020/21.
Mason Greenwood made a slow start to the season but by the time of the final, he was always going to start ahead of Daniel James.
Solskjaer came under fire for not making a single substitution in Gdansk until the 103rd minute, when he brought Fred on for Greenwood.
His continued reluctance to make early changes and the consistency of his selections underline the faith he has in his core squad – and probably the lack of faith he has in the reserves.
Donny van de Beek’s arrival felt like a conundrum at the time. Where did he fit into the side?
Solskjaer hasn’t answered that question all season. He brought him on against Palace as a number 10, pushing Bruno back into central midfield and was rewarded with a goal.
But he didn’t get off the bench in Gdansk and seemingly does not have Solskjaer’s full trust.
Perhaps if Solskjaer gets the ‘two or three players to strengthen the starting XI and the squad altogether’ he said he wants after the final defeat, there will be more variety in his selections next term – as well as more decisiveness in terms of early substitutions.
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