Man Utd star started for the last time in a consequential game for the club and showed his best and worst side

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Manchester United might well save their season and the win against Athletic Club was a giant step forward but changes are coming nonetheless.

Man Utd are bracing for a blockbuster summer transfer window, and someone like Matheus Cunha’s transfer already looks like a matter of when, not if.

In such circumstances, the need for players to stay focused and finish this season strong is as important as ever and it was on full display against Athletic.

The stars of the 3-0 win vs Athletic were the goalscorers but one player probably made his last start for the club in a game of any consequence.

Man Utd star’s last start in an important game

Before going into further details, it is worth noting that if Man United progress to the final of the Europa League, they only have two more games of any consequence left.

The Premier League games are a write-off and that will be clearer than ever when Ruben Amorim names his Man Utd XI for the away game at Brentford.

Therefore, if a player who started this game then doesn’t start the second leg or the final, and leaves in the summer, he’s already started his last game of any consequence for the club.

That’s exactly the kind of situation Victor Lindelof finds himself in, the Swede who’s set to leave Man Utd in the summer but was needed in a crucial capacity here.

Lindelof has a dream exit formula in front of him like Raphael Varane did last summer and he did his chances of realising that no harm against Athletic but he did show his best and worst sides in the game.

He was caught on the ball multiple times by Nico Williams and Co. but made sparkling amends for it with a brilliant goalline clearance that saved United a 0-0.

Victor Lindelof has been an able servant

Lindelof has never been a superstar with a high ceiling like, say, Leny Yoro or Matthijs de Ligt but he’s been at the club for eight years and always proved to be a capable servant.

Be it in a rotational role or thrust into a crucial starter position due to injuries/upheaval in the squad, he has been the kind of player who regularly delivers 6 or 7/10 performances.

His strengths are well-known, and so are his weaknesses, and the player does his best to showcase the former while hiding the latter.

Having said that, if he starts in the second leg against Athletic or in the final, something will have gone very wrong.

Matthijs de Ligt returned from injury vs Athletic and should be a contender to take his place, while Ayden Heaven’s return from injury should be in the pipeline too.

Lindelof will probably become the Premier League specialist and that sums up his United career – called upon and delivered in an outsized role on occasion, but generally good as a backup for the first-choice.