Erik ten Hag deserves great credit for guiding Manchester United back into the Champions League with victory over Chelsea, but there was a degree of awkwardness around his achievement.
United are a club built on challenging for – and winning – the highest honours. Finishing in a Champions League place can only be viewed as progress rather than success.
Ten Hag inherited a basket case of a club that had staggered through last season, from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign unravelling to the turmoil of Ralf Rangnick's spell as interim manager.
The Dutchman weathered the storm whipped up by Cristiano Ronaldo and steadied the ship enough to lead United to Champions League qualification.