The perils of going to Manchester United

Walking down Wembley Way to the FA Cup final at the weekend surrounded by a phalanx of well-refreshed Manchester United fans was not a savory experience, but the game was something else. What was clear was how good United were, full of bite and high-speed energy, ready to go against the best team in the world and playing in a way not seen all season. So Manchester City could not achieve the “double-double” – the League title and the Cup in two consecutive years. For the first time, United played for their manager, Erik ten Hag, and Pep Guardiola could do nothing. On this occasion, the Dutchman showed a new superior tactic to overcome him.

Whether it’s enough to save his job is another matter. Jim Ratcliffe was visibly speechless when given the chance to support Ten Hag, so presumably the decision to remove him was made. Ratcliffe could be wrong about this, as Ineos’ sporting record, from cycling to sailing, is far from perfect. Who does the upper branch want? And what kind of football do they want the team to play? Who will have to tackle the tricky dilemma of accepting a job offer at Old Trafford? Will it be Kieran McKenna (Ipswich), Thomas Frank (Brentford) or even England’s Gareth Southgate? There is a high risk of falling from a very great height, very quickly, possibly bringing your career to a brutal point.

McKenna has reportedly signed a deal to keep him at Ipswich, although I wouldn’t bet his newly promoted club enjoying life in the Premier League next season. You couldn’t blame Frank (who has the rare ability, as a middle-aged man, to pull off his v-neck sweater with nothing underneath) for coveting the United job, of course. But you hope it doesn’t end in tears.

Meanwhile, English rugby fans should pray that manager Steve Borthwick finds it in himself to challenge the decision to select overseas players. Monumental flanker Jack Willis was fearsome in Toulouse’s epic win over Leinster in the Champions Cup final in Dublin. It was one of the greatest games of rugby I have ever seen. No tries were scored until extra time, but the game could not have been tighter. And Willis, who joined the French sporting aristocracy when Wasps collapsed, produced a superb performance in defence. He was almost as brilliant as Antoine Dupont, who was man of the match and is the best player in the world. What a loss Willis won’t be able to tour England to New Zealand this summer. Who wouldn’t want to see him take on the All Blacks?

Blink and you might have missed it, but British middle distance running is getting more and more amazing. Scotland’s Josh Kerr took nearly a second off Steve Cram’s 39-year-old mile record in Oregon last weekend, beating arch-rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Outside the Olympics, athletics is treated as an unpleasant affliction, but these are exceptional times for sport, as inspiring as the golden age of Coe, Ovett and Cram himself. We have an enticing galaxy of talent to make the Olympic middle races unmissable, with Kerr poised to become a star at the Paris Games.

And if you’re looking for more excellence, look no further than Nelly Korda, a preeminent golfer about to play the game in the most important few days of her life at the Women’s US Open in Philadelphia. She’s brilliant, beautiful, charming and has the best swing in the game (including male players). She’s won six of her last seven tournaments, and unless you’re the partner or parent of one of her rivals, you can’t help but be a fan.