The top five moments of Manchester United’s 2016/17 season

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Manchester United have finished the season on a high after winning the Europa League and that victory meant that this campaign will be remembered as a successful one.

It has been a year of transition under Jose Mourinho, but there have been several memorable moments that will be looked back on fondly.

They finished sixth in the Premier League, which will be seen as an underachievement. However, two trophy wins provide the club with a platform to push on from next season.

Here are the best five moments of Manchester United’s 2016/17 season…

5) Winning the Community Shield in August

Although Jose Mourinho is defiant that his side won three trophies this season, the Community Shield shouldn’t be considered one. That said, it provided a memorable day for Manchester United and ensured that the club started their season strongly. Questions would have been asked about Jose Mourinho if they had lost to Leicester City, but they completed a professional job and won the curtain-raiser of the season. It will be remembered most for the winning goal by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede has been one of the best players in Europe throughout his career and it was great to see him score for an English club.

4) Signing Paul Pogba

They didn’t have Champions League to offer, but Manchester United won the race to sign Paul Pogba and brought him back to Old Trafford. The traction that the transfer gained on social media showed the global reach that the club still possesses. The French midfielder could become one of the best in the world and has been tipped as a future winner of the Ballon D’Or. If he is to reach those levels of success, United will benefit and supporters will hope that the two can grow together over the coming years. This was a marquee signing and a memorable moment for all involved with United.

3) Beating Chelsea at Old Trafford

This was a huge win for both Mourinho and the squad, as it showed they could compete against the very best. Chelsea went on to win the league, but Mourinho delivered a tactical masterclass to get one over on his old club. After losing to them twice before during the season, it would have been a sweet victory for the United boss as he proved that he could beat Antonio Conte. For the team, it was a crucial win as they were without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who they had been reliant on for most the season. Marcus Rashford stepped up and scored the opening goal to remind the world of his ability. United need to use this as motivation for next season, as they will need to perform to this level on a more consistent basis.

2) Winning the EFL Cup

The EFL Cup may not be the most prestigious trophy, but it is one that is close to Jose Mourinho’s heart as he has now won it on four occasions as a manager. Manchester United are trying to become the best team in England again and it will take time to get there. This triumph improved the winning mentality in the squad and the players will want to achieve greater things in the following years. Winning breeds winning and that is why Mourinho will consider this season as a success. Two trophies has given his players a taste of winning and they will want more. This final was a difficult one as Southampton played well and gave United a real test. However, Mourinho’s men had too much for them and Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the hero at Wembley again, scoring twice with his second being the winner.

1 – Winning the Europa League

After deciding to focus on their Europa League campaign, they left themselves requiring a win in the final in order to achieve a successful season. It was a huge risk and there was a lot riding on the game against Ajax. However, with big risk comes big reward and United delivered a professional performance to overcome a young and talented Ajax team. It was another tactical masterclass from Mourinho and it was obvious that it meant a lot to him based on his post-match celebrations. This was a huge victory for the club and it has given them a place in next season’s Champions League.

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