Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to "make new improvements" in the upcoming transfer window, though he believes the basis of the current squad is "very good".
Ten Hag's second season at Old Trafford has failed to live up to the standards set in his maiden campaign, which saw United end their trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup while finishing in the top four of the Premier League.
United head into their game away at Crystal Palace on Monday in eighth, 13 points off Aston Villa in fourth, and European qualification of any sort now looks a real battle.
With the transfer window opening soon, Ten Hag hopes the club makes additions, though he also feels the current squad has promise.
"I'm now going into my fifth [transfer] window," Ten Hag told reporters. "We have to make new improvements to the squad. But there is a base of this squad that is very good.
"The injuries had a big impact, but we are still below the levels of the expectations Manchester United have, so we have to catch up."
Harry Maguire, whose future is reportedly uncertain, was on Sunday ruled out for the rest of the season due to a muscle injury.
Palace, meanwhile, have breezed to Premier League safety since the arrival of Oliver Glasner in February, currently 14th in the table and 14 points clear of 18th-placed Luton Town.
The Eagles are unbeaten in four, and Glasner is hopeful his side can keep that run going as they look to finish the season strongly.
"We hope that we can keep this momentum," Glasner said.
"It is up to us how we work during the week. They look ready, I could see how focused they are in training.
"We're four games unbeaten and the goal is staying unbeaten until the end of the season."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Crystal Palace – Jean-Phillipe Mateta
Mateta has scored in each of his five home Premier League appearances under Glasner (seven goals), having only netted in five out of his first 37 home matches for Palace beforehand (five goals). The last player to score in his first six home appearances under one manager in the competition was Alan Shearer for Kevin Keegan in 1996-97 (first nine). The former Lyon striker will likely provide Palace's main goal threat on Monday.
Manchester United – Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes is an injury doubt for Monday's game at Selhurst Park, and his absence would be a huge blow. Fernandes created 31 chances in his six appearances in all competitions for United in April, seven more than any other Premier League player. He created nine chances in each of his last two Premier League appearances (vs Sheffield United and Burnley), becoming the only player on record to create nine or more chances in consecutive matches (2003-04 onwards). If he is ready to go on Monday, he will prove key to United's chances of victory.
MATCH PREDICTION – MAN UTD WIN
Palace won 1-0 against United at Old Trafford earlier this campaign – the Eagles have never completed a league double over the Red Devils.
United have shipped 77 goals in 47 games in all competitions this season, their most in a season since 1977-78 (80). Their current ratio of conceding (1.64 goals-per-game) is their worst since the 1962-63 campaign (1.75 per game).
Meanwhile, United won eight of their first 11 away Premier League games against Palace (three draws) but are winless in their last three (two draws, one defeat).
Palace have won both of their last two Premier League games at Selhurst Park, last winning three in a row at home in the competition in October 2022.
United have both scored and conceded in each of their last eight Premier League away games – only once have they had a longer such run in the competition, doing so in nine consecutive games between May and November 2001. They are favourites to win Monday's game, but they may have to score several to get the three points with how leaky they currently are at the back.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Palace: 29.4%
Man Utd: 41.8%
Draw: 28.8%
Mainoo hails Man Utd togetherness as Red Devils stun rivals City in FA Cup final
Kobbie Mainoo lauded the togetherness demonstrated by Manchester United as they stunned rivals Manchester City 2-1 to claim the FA Cup.
Mainoo and fellow teenager Alejandro Garnacho were on target at Wembley to deny Pep Guardiola's side the double after they secured their record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title last weekend.
Although Erik ten Hag's job was reportedly on the line - regardless of the result - United defended brilliantly to largely keep City at bay, despite Jeremy Doku's late strike for the Citizens.
The Red Devils subsequently held out to end a disappointing season on a high, securing a place in the Europa League next term with their first FA Cup triumph since 2016.
And Mainoo, who was named in Gareth Southgate's provisional England squad for the forthcoming European Championship, saluted the efforts of United's players and staff.
"[It means] absolutely everything," he told BBC Sport. "It's been a tough season of ups and downs. All the fans had to look forward to was this final. Last year, I was in the stands watching. I couldn't be involved.
"We knew we had to come together. The staff and the players, the preparation has been amazing. We showed that we can compete, we can come together and win on such a big stage."
Garnacho also paid tribute to his team-mate, who became the first English teenager to score in an FA Cup final since Steve MacKenzie for City against Tottenham in 1981, while dedicating the victory to United's supporters.
"Just incredible; I say he's the best player in the squad, and he's the youngest. I'm so happy for him," the Argentine said of Mainoo.
"[It is an] incredible feeling. Nobody believed in us, but we are together, here with these fans. An incredible moment for us, also for me and Kobbie to score the goals, but all together, we fought like it was the last day of our lives. We're so happy.
"The fans were incredible. They're always there – home games, away games, now Wembley. We won for the fans."
Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United: Garnacho and Mainoo fire Red Devils to FA Cup glory
Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo were the heroes as Manchester United pulled off an upset to beat rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final.
United boss Erik ten Hag's job was reportedly on the line whatever the result in Saturday's game, but a mix-up between Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega was capitalised upon by Garnacho to hand the Red Devils the lead at Wembley Stadium.
Mainoo's fine finish made it 2-0 shortly after, and though Jeremy Doku pulled a goal back late on, United held firm to claim the famous trophy for the first time since 2016 and deny City a double after they secured a fourth straight Premier League title last weekend.
It now remains to be seen whether Ten Hag will suffer the same fate as compatriot Louis van Gaal, who was sacked as United boss after winning the FA Cup eight years ago.
Pep Guardiola's men started the brighter, though it was United who went close first as Ortega got his body behind Garnacho's fierce strike.
Garnacho was not to be denied with 30 minutes on the clock, though, as he pounced on a calamitous mix-up in the City defence.
A long ball over the top was not dealt with by either Ortega or Gvardiol, who inadvertently nodded it beyond his goalkeeper, allowing Garnacho to tuck home into an empty net, becoming the first teenager to score an FA Cup final goal since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004.
And another teenager in Mainoo made it 2-0 before the break at the culmination a brilliantly incisive move.
Garnacho was involved again as he burst down the right and cut back for Bruno Fernandes, whose deft pass teed up 19-year-old Mainoo to coolly slot past Ortega.
Erling Haaland nearly halved the deficit when he rattled the crossbar after the interval, before Andre Onana made a superb stop to keep out Kyle Walker's ferocious long-range drive.
Onana should have done better in the 87th minute, though. United's goalkeeper got down to Doku's hopeful attempt, but could only parry it into the corner.
Yet United ensured Onana's mistake did not prove costly, as City's hopes of a double were dashed and the Red Devils claimed a stunning victory in what could have been Ten Hag's final game at the helm.
United's teenage daydream
United went into the game as outsiders, a fair view considering the 31 points that separated these city rivals in the Premier League table, but the Red Devils' youngsters turned up in some style at Wembley to lead their side to glory, as well as securing European football next season.
Garnacho scored with one of his three shots on target, more than any other player on the pitch, while Mainoo's performance did no harm to his chances of making Gareth Southgate's final squad for Euro 2024, ruthlessly finishing his only big chance and again having an impact in both defence and attack.
Mainoo's goal also made him the first English teenager to net in an FA Cup final since Steve MacKenzie for City against Tottenham in 1981, and he looks set to be a big fixture for both United and England for many years to come.
De Bruyne's dismal derby day
Kevin De Bruyne finished the Premier League season with 10 assists and four goals in just 18 appearances, but he, alongside many of City's stars, looked well off the pace here.
De Bruyne completed an uncharacteristically low 71 per cent of his passes before Guardiola had seen enough, hauling off the Belgium international for Julian Alvarez with over half an hour left.
City ended their league campaign with nine straight wins to seal the title, but they looked a shadow of that side this time out and will finish the season with just one trophy, after claiming a treble last term.
Doku did make an impact after his half-time introduction, but though he managed to cut into United's lead, it was too little, too late.
Man Utd's Garnacho and Mainoo become first teenagers to score FA Cup final goal since Ronaldo
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have become the first teenagers to score in an FA Cup final since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004.
In the first half of Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester City, 19-year-old Garnacho capitalised on a mix-up between Stefan Ortega and Josko Gvardiol to become the first teenager to net in the competition's showpiece match since Ronaldo did against Millwall in 2004, also for the Red Devils.
Garnacho's goal made him the third teenager to score for United in an FA Cup final after Ronaldo 20 years ago and Norman Whiteside back in 1983.
Then, just nine minutes later, a brilliant United move ended with Bruno Fernandes laying Garnacho's pass into Mainoo, who coolly finished to double United's lead at just 19-years-old.
Mainoo's finish means United hold a 2-0 lead at half-time against the Premier League champions, while it's also the first men's FA Cup final to see two different teenagers net. Aged just 19 years and 36 days, Mainoo is the youngest English goalscorer in the game since John Sissons for West Ham in 1964.
Mainoo is also the first English teenager to score in an FA Cup final since Steve MacKenzie for City against Tottenham in 1981.
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