Ex-Manchester United man Demetri Mitchell says 27-year-old star offloaded by Red Devils would have been good option in Europa League final

Demetri Mitchell has opined that former Manchester United player Marcus Rashford would have done well for the Red Devils in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs secured a 1-0 win at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on Wednesday (May 21).

While Manchester United dominated Tottenham for a huge chunk of the contest, they were toothless in the attacking third until Alejandro Garnacho came in with a little spark in the 71st minute. Even talisman Bruno Fernandes was far from his best on the night. Their unbeaten run in the competition finally ended, which means they won’t play in any European competition next season.

Mitchell, who made one appearance for the United senior team in 2016-17, has opined that Rashford would have made a difference in the Europa League final. The pair grew through the ranks at the Manchester United academy and played together twice — once for the club’s U18 side and the other for the U21 side.

"Marcus would of been a good option tonight," he wrote.

In another post on X, the midfielder said United would have been in a better position had they retained their former players, such as David de Gea, Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, and more.

Marcus Rashford saw his journey at his childhood club come to a halt following a loan move to Aston Villa in the January transfer window. The Englishman had been a vital cog in the Manchester United senior team for years. His playing time was reduced significantly after head coach Ruben Amorim found fault with his form.

In 426 games for United, Rashford scored 138 goals and provided 77 assists.

Roy Keane criticizes Manchester United star and points out reason for Europa League defeat

Roy Keane did not hold back in his verdict after Manchester United’s Europa League final loss. The former player-turned-pundit laid into Harry Maguire, saying the Red Devils lost the game because they lacked quality and came into the contest with their Premier League form.

Keane told CBS Sports (via United in Focus):

“United lack real quality. And when you are depending on Harry Maguire to get you out of jail at the end, it sums up their problem. It’s a huge moment. There was a real lack of quality and they’ve [United] almost brought their league form to the table. We mentioned before the game about getting bodies in there, United having bodies back, but not obviously not doing their defensive jobs."

He added:

“I think Maguire has got to focus on clearing the ball. Johnson does a brilliant run, obviously nice and aggressive. United have enough bodies back but they are not doing enough. Again, there are question marks over the goalkeeper.

He continued:

“Spurs aren’t doing anything extraordinary, it’s all pretty simple play. That is where you have to be really critical of United’s defensive shape and decision-making. Players not doing their jobs, not concentrating. Shaw maybe not match fit, Maguire focussed on his man [Solanke]. Remember, there’s only one ball. Just focus on the ball sometimes.

“You’ve got to multitask. You’ve got to be able to do this [battle with the striker] and still clear the ball. It’s as if [Maguire is thinking], ‘I’ve got my man here!’. But no, you’ve got to multitask and do more than one job," he concluded.