Talk of the Devils: The Athletic FC's Manchester United show

The dust is settling on another Premier League campaign and, as the summer solstice looms on the horizon, it's time for our annual end of season awards.
It's a much happier, therefore considerably less tongue-in-cheek, set of awards than this time last year as we decide the player of the year (who's not the marvellous captain bruno) and the best first-season United player.
We also choose our favourite from a pretty healthy selection of United goals as well as the best moment not involving a goal. There are no prizes for picking out our favourite podcast guest, but plenty of smackdown for our (very) bad takes revisited.
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It's the last Q&A of the season (or the first of the new one, depending on how you look at it). Either way, it's a whopper, with a massive influx of questions.
Mixed fortunes for Manchester United players past/present/on loan/future(?) when it comes to World Cup call-ups. We discuss the merits of Harry Maguire's omission by Thomas Tuchel, and whether Anthony Gordon's Barcelona move will skupper Marcus Rashford's hopes.
Ederson looks like he might become United's first midfield signing; what do the lads know of him, more than even they thought... how might the Brazilian fit in to Carrick's plans for next season? And what are those plans? And, of course, the heated question of former players criticising the current team. Do they go too far?

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Michael Carrick was appointed as Manchester United's permanent head coach before the final game of the 2025/26 Premier League season and he will start his two-year contract off the back of a comfortable three-nil win on a beautiful day in Brighton.
Bruno Fernandes was once again mobbed by his teammates after his corner was headed strongly home by Patrick Dorgu; he has now made the Premier League assist record his own with 21 for the season. The skipper would go on to score in the game as well with Bryan Mbeumo having finished a slick passing move on a day where everything went right.
There were also appearances from the bench for academy players Tyler Fletcher and Shea Lacey, a more positive showing from Mason Mount alongside Kobbie Mainoo, and Luke Shaw completed an entire season of Premier League starts, one of only five players to achieve the feat.

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Apparently, there have been a couple of domestic trophies decided this week... no, us neither. While Manchester United have made significant progress in the Premier League, it would be nice to be the ones celebrating this time next year. How can that be achieved?
Obviously, the big question is on midfield recruitment, and we may be getting closer to some answers there. It would also seem that Michael Carrick and the current coaching staff, with a strong United influence, are the answer in the dugout. But are there other lessons we can learn from rivals, both those succeeding and the ones experiencing difficulties.
One thing league winners do, we've learned this week, is get results on the south coast. Bruno and co head to Brighton in the sunshine, as usual, and they will NOT be heading to the beach, but to the Amex where they haven't always had it their own way of late. Time to change that.
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Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday, their last home game of the season. However, it was Bruno Fernandes who was the focus of most attention (in the game, at least) as he equalled the record for assists by one player in a Premier League campaign. He can still make it his own at Brighton next week, but really should have done so already going by his remarkable chance-creation stats. We dive in.
Outside the game, there was a heartfelt send-off for Casemiro, a man who has made his mark on Manchester United just as he has done on a few midfield opponents over the years (it's in the genes). Elliot Anderson showed he can go head-to-head with the best, but if he's interested in becoming a red he was giving nothing away.
Most of all, there was a real feelgood factor as Michael Carrick addressed fans, even if he didn't update us on his employment status. He, and other senior figures, also attended the FA Youth Cup Final defeat to Manchester City. A disappointing end to the academy season for United on a couple of fronts, but the bigger picture looks healthy.
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