Benni McCarthy contends that even Pep Guardiola couldn't have secured a top-four finish for Manchester United this season due to their severe injury problems, as reported by the Daily Express.
Under Erik ten Hag's leadership, the Red Devils ended the Premier League season in eighth place, a result largely attributed to numerous injuries that hindered their performance.
This finish marks United's lowest in 34 years, casting doubt on Ten Hag's future as Sir Jim Ratcliffe initiates a post-season review.
Throughout the season, United experienced 45 separate injury incidents, the highest number in the Premier League for 2023/24. Key players like Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez were sidelined for significant periods, with Malacia not playing at all and Martinez missing 36 games.
McCarthy, whose contract has just a month remaining, argues that even Guardiola, with his six Premier League titles, couldn't have met the fans' expectations under such challenging conditions.
"It's the first time in the club's history that we had so much bad luck with injuries," McCarthy told South African radio station 947. "In the Premier League, if you don't have your best squad available, you're going to fall short because any team can beat any team. That's why it's the toughest league."
He further elaborated on the challenges faced by the team, stating, "I'm at the club every day and I see the struggle. I've never, in my life, experienced anything like that as a player or a coach. We were only able to play with our strongest team in four games all season prior to the FA Cup final. It's been an absolute nightmare."
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