The Europa League final defeat to Villarreal has not only to see Manchester United fly back to England from Gdansk without the trophy.
They have also expressed concerns about the performance of star midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
Since joining United from Sporting Lisbon, Fernandes has established himself as one of the club's most important players, and he was arguably the Red Devils' player of the year this season.
He had one of the best seasons in recent memory for a United midfielder, scoring 28 goals and providing 17 assists across all competitions.
The 26-year-performances old's have also prompted United to reportedly consider offering him a new contract, despite the fact that he has four years remaining on his current deal.
Fernandes' representatives are still negotiating a new contract, which the Manchester Evening News claims could double the midfielder's salary.
However, while Fernandes has generally impressed in United's midfield, there are still concerns about his performance in big games.
Those doubts resurfaced on Wednesday when the Red Devils attempted to win their first major trophy since 2017.
Fernandes was named to the starting lineup in the central attacking midfield position he has carved out for himself under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
But it was another underwhelming performance from the Portuguese international in a big game, as United lost on penalties.
Villarreal manager Unai Emery appeared to have devised the ideal strategy to deal with Fernandes, with Etienne Capoue and Francis Coquelin constantly closing him down.
The concern that has arisen as a result of this is that other managers may now follow Emery's lead and undermine Fernandes' influence.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand praised Emery, claiming that Fernandes' impact on the game was insignificant.
“I just think Unai Emery got it right tactically tonight. “Bruno was completely null and void, and he was shut down at all times,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.
“There was never space for people like Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, and Edinson Cavani to get behind and exploit that space – with their pace, movement, and anticipation.
“You have to give Unai Emery credit today because he got the tactics to spot on.”
Another issue raised by United's defeat is the fact that their trophy drought continues.
The midfielder has repeatedly stated his desire to win a trophy at Old Trafford, but Solskjaer's team appears to be a long way from doing so. The lack of trophy winners in United's squad has left legendary midfielder Paul Scholes concerned about the club's future.
“If you look at Bruno Fernandes and Cavani, two players with a lot of experience, they won't like it, of course, they won't,” he told BT Sport. They're the ones who appear to be in real pain to me. The others, on the other hand, can appear to be acceptable at times.
“Even from the manager's perspective, it appears to be somewhat acceptable. United have almost become a well-liked club.”
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