When I started this blog eight years ago, one of my very first posts was a summary of a Manchester United season that was unlike any other in the Premier League era, for all the wrong reasons. In 2013-14, United went from defending champions of England to a team that couldn’t qualify for any European competition the following season. Only a quarterfinal run in the Champions League prevented 2013-14 from being labeled a complete disaster.

If only fans knew what was to come in the years since then……

As I type this, it’s been roughly a week since the ending of the Red Devils’ latest season, one that brought their lowest Premier League points tally in history (58); that tally is only one number greater than the number of EPL goals they conceded, which is four more than the amount conceded by a Burnley team that will spend next season in the Championship due to relegation. Thanks to Brighton’s final-day win over West Ham, United will be in the second-tier UEFA Europa League next fall as opposed to the third-tier Europa Conference League, but that can hardly be viewed as a positive.

The problem wasn’t just the poor results, it was how much the on-field performance suffered. Entering May, United was still mathematically alive for a Champions League. The club responded to that opportunity by being thrashed 4-0 at Brighton, then waiting two weeks before limping to the season’s finish line with a 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace. Even in the Champions League Round of 16 against Atletico Madrid, when United had 49 minutes of game time to at least find a tying goal, the players’ body language didn’t necessarily suggest any chance of a comeback.

So it’s safe to say Erik ten Hag has his work cut out for him. The 52-year-old Dutchman was named full-time manager last month, was present for the Palace loss, and formally started his tenure on Monday. Ten Hag does bring with him a successful record from Ajax, but with respect to the Eredivisie, the Premier League – and specifically managing Manchester United – is its own challenge. Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho are two of the greatest managers from the last 30 years, yet their combined success at Old Trafford only yielded one Europa League title, one FA Cup, and one Community Shield. Ten Hag and the MU board are saying all the correct things about fans needing patience in 2022-23, but if the last nine years are any indicator, patience will continue to be in short supply.

A lot of that early success will depend on how the squad looks. There are multiple players the club needs to part ways with this summer, as very few can say they truly gave their all this season. David de Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo can hold their heads high regarding their individual performances; Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, and few others have earned chances to turn their levels of play around. But change is desperately around multiple facets of the club, lest the next nine years unfold identical to the last nine.

Next season’s EPL fixtures are due to be released on June 16, with the season starting August 6 – a little earlier than usual, but remember most European leagues will be taking extended breaks in November & December for the World Cup. Ten Hag and the Manchester United board can’t afford to wait until those dates to hit the ground running. How they act in the next week will go a long way to determining if Manchester United can return to their long-time position among England’s and Europe’s elite, or if another 26-year wait between league titles is well underway.

For those interested in sports history, especially in London, the second Sunday of July 2019 won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

That was the day Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic made Wimbledon history, going to an unprecedented fifth-set tiebreaker to determine the gentlemen’s singles champion. The tiebreaker was nearly as back-and-forth as the match itself, with Djokovic emerging victorious 7-3. It’s been considered the greatest match of the decade, and arguably the greatest in men’s singles history.

At roughly the same time, 10 miles north from Wimbledon, the England cricket team made history of their own at Lord’s Cricket Ground, winning their first ICC World Cup title after outlasting New Zealand in their version of a tiebreaker, a “Super Over.” The match literally came down to the final ball delivered, and officially the Final was declared a draw, England winning due to having recorded more boundaries. Another historic result decided by the thinnest of margins.

To have two exciting events decided on the same day only miles apart? It couldn’t happen again, could it? Oh, did the second Sunday of July 2021 come close.

Djokovic was back in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon, but facing a new opponent in Italian Matteo Berrettini. The underdog won the first set, but the Serbian, on a quest to win all four Grand Slams in a calendar year, showed why he remains one of the best ever. Djokovic’s four-set victory takes him to 20 major championships, level with Federer and Rafael Nadal. Worldwide, tennis fans eagerly anticipate who will make it to #21 first.

Hours after the match at Centre Court, attention shifted 13 miles north to Wembley Stadium, as England had a chance to win a European soccer championship on home turf. It was a dream start for the English, scoring in the second minute against Italy. But the Italians pressed for an equalizer, were rightfully rewarded with one, and were able to edge England on penalties.

The loss may sting for a while for England players and fans, but ever since their humiliating loss to Iceland at Euro 2016, they’ve regrouped to finish fourth and second in the last two major tournaments; many key players will still be in their prime for the 2022 World Cup. And Italy, which failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup at all, showed a new brand of exciting play that began with the very first game of the tournament; they were worthy winners, able to do what needed to be in any circumstance.

So it may not have been quite the same emotions as two years ago, but it gave fans a glimpse of how important sports can be. And the likelihood that a day like this (or days) is replicated remains very slim, at least until the second Sunday of July 2023.

There’s a saying that sports can bring out all ends of the emotional spectrum, for both players and fans alike. After waiting an extra year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the qualifiers of UEFA Euro 2020 (they’re still keeping that name despite holding the tournament in 2021) are more than eager to begin competing for continental supremacy.

But there’s also the realization that compared to the bigger picture of life, sports can sometimes seem trivial. Case in point: Saturday’s group match between Denmark & Finland, when Danish star Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field late in the first half.

Those who are avid soccer followers know by now what happened in the moments since; the match stopping as Eriksen’s teammates formed a wall to allow doctors to work uninterrupted to revive him; the relief when it became clear Eriksen was going to be okay; the surreal feeling when the match resumed later that evening, as Finland scored a second-half goal to win 1-0 in their first-ever major tournament match.

In the days since, Denmark players and coaches argued that they were only given two options by UEFA in terms of finishing the match: either later that night, or early the next afternoon. This brings to mind the 2003 Confederations Cup semifinal, when Cameroon’s Marc-Vivien Foé collapsed during their match with Colombia; he was rushed to a hospital where he later passed away. Despite the tragic circumstances, FIFA elected to continue playing the remaining matches. Thankfully, it seems Eriksen is going to make a full recovery, but how will his Danish teammates’ be able to put those traumatizing images behind them and get results from their remaining group games?

As for the remaining group matches, there have been a few surprises; Sweden putting in a stout defensive effort to earn a point against Spain among the key examples. Many of the pre-tournament favorites, though, have managed wins to open group play, including France benefitting from a own goal to win at Germany. With all 24 teams having played their opener though, it is likely fans will witness more upsets over the following 10 days leading up to the knockout round.

Overall, the fact that there is a major soccer tournament this year is a win given what’s happened in the last 15-16 months. Even if it’s just a small step on a long way to total normalcy, it’s still a better option than another summer of waiting.

Earlier this spring, the Premier League announced it would create a Hall of Fame to honor the greatest soccer players in the league since it was formed in 1992. Alan Shearer & Thierry Henry were announced as the first two inductees; this should be no surprise, considering they are the Premier League’s all-time top scorer and top non-British player, respectively. Ryan Giggs was the only other player with a legitimate case to be included as one of the very first inductees, but with his recent arrest and charges of violence against women, his status as a potential Hall selection in the future is unknown.

The Premier League released a list of 23 nominees for fans to vote on through May 9, with six to be included alongside Shearer & Henry in the Class of 2021. All 23 had outstanding careers in the EPL, and I have no doubt all will be inducted at some point very soon. But regarding who will be part of that inaugural class, here are my picks, in alphabetical order, of who will join that Class of 2021.

Eric Cantona

Adored by Manchester United fans, loathed or feared by rival supporters, Cantona was a major force behind United’s success in the early days of the Premier League. After leaving a Leeds side that was considered a powerhouse in those days, Cantona helped blaze a trail for non-Brits who wondered if they could find success playing in England. While some may not regard him highly because of his antics (notably the Crystal Palace incident), his goal-scoring ability and on-field presence made him, and Manchester United, an icon in the 1990s.

Steven Gerrard

Without question the greatest player to never win the Premier League, Gerrard is respected by both Liverpool’s fans and rivals. Scoring 120 goals in 504 appearances from midfield, his commitment to staying with the club when others may have left for more lucrative contracts further endeared him to supporters. Though he missed out on the Premier League’s ultimate top prize, Liverpool’s success on the pitch through the 2000s and 2010s was virtually a direct correlation of their captain.

Roy Keane

Another “love him or hate him” figure, even among Manchester United supporters, there is no denying the impact Keane had on the club, especially during his eight years as captain. While he may not have as many appearances or goals as other nominees, his on-field leadership played a valuable role in United’s championship-winning runs, including the three straight from 1999-2001. Had he not left the club on sour terms in 2005, who knows how revered he would still be today?

Frank Lampard

One of England’s “Golden Generation” along with Gerrard and David Beckham, Lampard’s versatility as both a playmaker and a goalscorer played a role in Chelsea becoming a perennial Premier League contender. Making his debut for West Ham in the mid-1990s, it wasn’t long before Lampard made his mark at Stamford Bridge, where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer. He also recorded more than 100 assists for Chelsea, before finishing his EPL playing career at Manchester City.

Paul Scholes

A member of Manchester United’s famous “Class of ’92,” Scholes is highly regarded by peers as one of the finest midfielders ever, not just his time. What he may have lacked in physical presence, he more than made up for in on-field awareness, being able to dictate pace in midfield while providing assets as an attacking player. Scholes’ 11 Premier League titles are more than any English player, and he finished his playing career with 107 goals in 499 appearances.

Patrick Vieira

He may have been overshadowed by the success of another Frenchman at Arsenal, but Vieira’s contribution to the Gunners has been just as important. A no-nonsense defensive midfielder, Vieira proved to be capable in set pieces as well, as he scored 31 goals from a position not typically known for scoring. His greatest success came in 2004, when he captained Arsenal through their “Invincible” season, as the club lost no league matches en route to the EPL title. That it remains the club’s most recent title 17 years later only adds to the mystique.

As stated earlier, many of the 17 additional nominees will likely be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a later time. When players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Jamie Vardy retire, it won’t be long before they become shoo-in candidates. And there is the situation involving Ryan Giggs, whose career statistics speak for themselves, but it appears that unlike the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Premier League is considering moral conduct off the field as another factor.

The full list of nominees can be found here. Fans have until Sunday, May 9 to cast their picks.

It’s starting to feel like destiny now.

Manchester United have reached the halfway point of the 2020-21 season, and the 20-times champions of England find themselves on top of the Premier League table. For the first time since 2013, the club has a legitimate chance to win another top-flight title.

What a difference a few months makes. It was just three months ago that serious questions were being asked about the club, which was thrashed 6-1 at home by Tottenham on the eve of the transfer deadline. While United didn’t exactly make a splash in the market before the deadline, those who have been part of the club in the games since have risen to the occasion more often than not.

The performances haven’t been the most fun to watch for viewers; three of their highest-profile matches have finished in scoreless draws (it could be argued that the scoreless draw at Liverpool is karma for certain American television executives, but that’s an argument for a different day). But the Red Devils have turned the corner since their November home loss to Arsenal. Players are beginning to believe under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer; Paul Pogba, for instance, is showing that he can indeed be a world-class midfielder, while David De Gea is hungry to reclaim the unofficial title of “World’s Best Goalkeeper.”

Now the question becomes what the club can do to maintain their momentum, and the answer will in large part rely on the status of one player. Bruno Fernandes has been the shot in the arm for a team desperately in need of one ever since his arrival 12 months ago. There have been times where his presence on the field has been the sole difference in matches, but it’s fair to wonder if he will run into fatigue-related issues. Harry Maguire and David De Gea played every EPL minute of last season, and the defender has kept that going into 2020-21, but the demands of a central defender are much different compared to an attacking playmaker. If Fernandes can keep up his level of play, without getting worn down from the pace of the Premier League, that will be a major benefit for United.

Another problem the club needs to address is poor starts to matches. It cost them in their Champions League match to RB Leipzig, sending United to another Europa League appearance. They fell behind at Sheffield United and Fulham, and also in the FA Cup 4th round to Liverpool, but rallied to win each of those encounters. The Red Devils can’t expect to keep playing with fire and emerge unscathed every time; back to an earlier point, an unattractive 1-0 or 2-0 win is just as valuable in the league as an exciting, come-from-behind victory. Their upcoming fixtures with Sheffield United and Arsenal will be crucial points to keep their title hopes alive.

All that said, the fact that United are in this position this late in the season gives fans reason to believe this is a season of destiny. The club did well during its 2013 celebrations to market the fact that it was United’s 20th top-flight title, and 13th in the Premier League era. Eight years later, “21 in ’21” is now a realistic goal.