Diogo Dalot believes super sub Scott McTominay’s never-say-die approach is the kind of mentality Manchester United need if they are to qualify for the Champions League.
A bumpy, injury-hit start to the season saw pressure mount on manager Erik ten Hag as his side were eliminated from Europe and stumbled on the domestic front.
But there have been signs of improvement since the turn of the year, with United’s unbeaten start to 2024 continuing with a late, hard-fought Premier League win at Villa.
Douglas Luiz deservedly cancelled out Rasmus Hojlund’s opener, only for substitute McTominay to meet Dalot’s excellent cross with a thundering header to make it 2-1, four minutes from time.
“I think every time he comes on the pitch, he has that mentality of trying to score goals and trying to help the team,” United right-back Dalot said.
“We need this type of mentality at this club and I think he is the perfect person to show this season that even coming from the bench, he always has a good impact.”
McTominay’s goal was his seventh in the league this season and fourth as a substitute – a league-high tally from the bench only matched by Brighton striker Joao Pedro.
The bullet header allowed sixth-placed United to reduce the gap to Villa in fifth to five points, with Tottenham a point better off in fourth.
“I think it is a really important win,” Dalot said of the push for Champions League qualification.
“We knew that today was like a final for us; pretty much every game will be for us now if we want to get top four.
“We prepared well and I am very happy with the way we performed and how we fought until the end to get the win.
“It was registered (how important the Villa match was) at the start of the week when we started preparing for the game.
“I think we had a full week of concentration and everybody tuned into what we could expect today.
“It is exactly how we prepared and how we tried to be, but like I said, we fought until the end and we really deserved the three points.”
United did, though, have to ride their luck at times.
Dalot praised goalkeeper Andre Onana for his performance – “he’s been fighting for it”, he said – and went onto highlight the impact of United’s forwards.
“When we start scoring goals, you can see how fresh they are and how motivated they are and we are very happy that they are scoring goals,” the Portugal international said.
“(Hojlund) brings calm and that’s what wins games and gives you more confidence.
“He has adapted to the team really well and we have adapted to him really well. Hopefully, he can score a lot more goals.”
Hojlund’s fifth goal in five Premier League appearances continued a run that started with his winner in 3-2 Boxing Day turnaround against Villa.
Unai Emery’s side came away with nothing from those matches and midfielder Jacob Ramsey bemoaned a lack of killer instinct on Sunday.
“We want to win games and we’ve not been great at home recently but we can take positives from the performance,” he said.
“Manchester United are a big team and we were dominant today. We were just lacking the last ball in the final third.”
'If they don't want me, I'll win trophies somewhere else' – Ten Hag bullish after Man Utd win FA Cup
Erik ten Hag was in a feisty mood as he took on the press following Manchester United's FA Cup triumph, insisting he will win trophies anywhere he goes.
It was reported on Friday that United had made the decision to sack Ten Hag regardless of whether or not he managed to claim a shock FA Cup win over Manchester City.
Yet the Dutchman did just that at Wembley on Saturday, with first-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo enough to claim a 2-1 victory.
It is United's first FA Cup success since 2016. On that occasion, Ten Hag's compatriot, Louis van Gaal, was sacked after claiming the trophy.
And Ten Hag was in no mood to be criticised when he told reporters: "We have to keep going, and I'm not satisfied with it, we have to do better and if they don't want me anymore, then I go will somewhere else to win trophies, because that is what I did my whole career.
"That is what they always tell me."
The former Ajax coach subsequently cut short his press conference when it was put to him by a journalist that United, who finished eighth in the Premier League, were still way behind where they should be.
"Sorry to say this, but you don't have any knowledge about football, about managing a football team," Ten Hag said. "When you don't have the players available, then you can't perform, so simple as that.
"And if that is the opinion, it is no problem. Then I go anywhere else and I go and keep winning trophies."
Ten Hag, who waved to the Red Devils' fans at full-time, has now won two trophies with United, having taken them to an EFL Cup triumph last season.
City manager Pep Guardiola said United must now make a decision.
"They have to take a decision. He's a lovely person and an extraordinary manager," Guardiola said.
"Winning the FA Cup is important for them like last season it was for us."
Reflecting on City's loss, Guardiola said: "Disappointed today, it's normal teams can lose finals but this season has been extraordinary fighting for all the trophies in a good way.
"We will rest and come back next season."
Lyon 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain: Mbappe fails to score but Ligue 1 champions clinch Coupe de France
Paris Saint-Germain beat Lyon 2-1 in the Coupe de France final courtesy of first-half strikes from Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz.
Making his final appearance for PSG, the club's all-time record goalscorer Kylian Mbappe failed to get on the scoresheet at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday.
Yet it mattered not as PSG sealed a domestic treble in Luis Enrique's first season in charge, winning the Coupe de France for a record-extending 15th time.
Dembele put PSG ahead after 23 minutes when Nuno Mendes' cross found him unmarked in the six-yard box to coolly head home.
Midfielder Ruiz doubled the advantage with a strike from a tight angle at the second attempt.
Lyon pulled one back 10 minutes into the second half thanks to Jake O'Brien's towering header off a corner, before PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a superb save minutes later.
PSG had to withstand late pressure, but ultimately got the job done as Mbappe signed off with another trophy.
Data Debrief: Mbappe moves on
Mbappe will bow out with 256 goals in 308 appearances for PSG across his seven seasons at the club since joining from Monaco in 2017.
He has won all there is to win domestically, though the Champions League has evaded him.
With Real Madrid seemingly his next destination, Mbappe will surely break that duck in the Spanish capital.
Milan 3-3 Salernitana: Rossoneri denied late on in Pioli's farewell
Milan ended their Serie A campaign with a disappointing 3-3 home draw against relegated Salernitana on Saturday in what was the last game at the club for coach Stefano Pioli and striker Olivier Giroud.
The Rossoneri looked set to cruise to victory when Davide Calabria put them 3-1 up in the 77th minute at San Siro.
Rafael Leao, who may well be on the move in the upcoming transfer window, had put Milan ahead after capitalising on a dreadful mistake from Salernitana goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo in the 22nd minute.
Giroud doubled the advantage five minutes later, volleying home from an Alessandro Florenzi corner to mark his farewell appearance in style before he joins MLS club Los Angeles FC.
Salernitana pulled a goal back through forward Simy in the second half before Calabria restored the hosts' two-goal lead, with Pioli seemingly sailing towards a victory in his last match.
Yet Junior Sambia and Simy levelled with two quick-fire goals in the dying moments to deny second-place Milan a victory to end the season.
Data Debrief: Giroud heads off into the sunset in style
Giroud finished the Serie A season with 23 goal involvements (15 goals and eight assists); only twice in his career has he managed a better tally in a single season in the big five European leagues: 24 in 2013-14 with Arsenal and 30 in 2011-12 with Montpellier.
Indeed, the 37-year-old is the oldest player among those with at least 23 goals involvement in the big five European leagues this season.
Christian Pulisic grabbed an assist, meanwhile, to become only the second Milan midfielder to be involved in 20+ goals (12 goals, eight assists) in a single Serie A season, after Kaka (20 in 2005-06, 26 in 2007-08, 25 in 2008-09) in the last 20 seasons.
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