Man United finishes 8th for worst-ever Premier League season despite winning last game at Brighton

BRIGHTON, England (AP) — Manchester United slumped to its worst-ever Premier League finish in eighth place and closed the campaign with a negative goal difference despite beating Brighton 2-0 away in their final game on Sunday.

Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund were the scorers for United at Amex Stadium as United finished outside the European qualification spots.

Finishing in sixth or seventh place would have confirmed a place in the Europa League or Europa Conference League, respectively, for United, the 20-time English champion. However, the two teams above United — Chelsea and Newcastle — both won elsewhere in the final round.

United could still get into the Europa League by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup on Saturday.

It was United's worst league campaign since coming 13th in the old First Division under Alex Ferguson in 1990.

“We have the best fans in the world and I mean this,” said United manager Erik ten Hag, whose team has endured an injury-hit season. “I have never had this experience when you have a season like us, which is by far not good enough, that the supporters are with us.

“They are with us in the bad season and in bad times they are there. I think also they know why the bad times are there. But we have to pay them back and we have to do everything to give them a trophy next week — but also for the future, we have to perform better.”

It was Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi's final match in charge of his team. He announced Saturday he'd be stepping down after Sunday's game.

While cross-town rival City was busy being crowned league champion for an unprecedented fourth season in a row, United overcame a poor first-half display to avoid setting a new record for the club’s lowest Premier League points tally.

Yet Ten Hag’s men still finished a difficult campaign, which brought 14 top-flight defeats, with a goal difference of -1.

Hojlund, the Denmark international, has hit 16 goals in his debut season, including 10 in the league, following his big-money move from Atalanta. Ten Hag said he hopes that tally increases at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

“It could always be better but don’t forget he had three injuries this season,” Ten Hag said of the 21-year-old Hojlund's contribution.

“He came in with the injury, missed the start, then he got injured before winter and then he got injured after winter. So every time that broke his rhythm and if you then shoot 16 goals for the first season it’s OK. And it’s not over, we have to play the FA Cup final.”

Following a series of fitness setbacks among this squad, Ten Hag believes he now has a positive selection headache as he contemplates his cup final lineup.

Center back Lisandro Martinez made his first start since early February on the south coast, while Raphael Varane returned to action as a substitute following more than six weeks out.

“I would say the manager and the coaching team have luxury problems, which is good,” Ten Hag said.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag looks on, during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, at the Amex Stadium, in Brighton and Hove, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag applauds fans, at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, at the Amex Stadium, in Brighton and Hove, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

FILE - Brighton's head coach Roberto De Zerbi shouts to his players from the sideline during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, on March 31, 2024. De Zerbi will leave the club after the team’s game against Manchester United. De Zerbi has been discussed as a potential coaching candidate for higher-profile clubs and his “mutually agreed” split from Brighton after Sunday’s match will only fuel further speculation. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, centre, makes a save, during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, at the Amex Stadium, in Brighton and Hove, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Brighton's Joao Pedro, left and Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka vie for the ball, during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, at the Amex Stadium, in Brighton and Hove, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag smiles, ahead of the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, at the Amex Stadium, in Brighton and Hove, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge on Friday rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to weigh a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten said the wording the legislative council suggested is “packed with emotion and partisan meaning” and asked for what he called more “neutral” language. The measure aims to expand abortion access from 15 weeks to 24 weeks – the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb.

It would allow exemptions to save the woman’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would also prevent the state from adopting or enforcing laws that would forbid access to the procedure.

Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, who is a co-chair of the legislative council, said the group will appeal the court’s decision to the state Supreme Court.

“The ruling is just plain wrong and clearly partisan,” said Toma, a Republican.

Aaron Thacker, communications director for Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, noted that the final decision on the ballot itself remains in the air.

“There’s still a lot of scenarios at play," he said. "Even after the secretary certifies the signatures, the courts have to decide if counties can put it on the ballot or not."

Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization leading the ballot measure campaign, sued the council earlier this month over the suggested language and advocated for the term “fetus,” which the council rejected.

Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote in a motion to submit an amicus brief that “fetus" and “pregnancy” are both neutral terms that the council could adopt.

“It’s incredibly important to us that Arizona voters get to learn more about and weigh our measure in objective and accurate terminology,” said Dawn Penich, communications director for the abortion access group.

Democrats have centered abortion rights in their campaigns in this year’s elections. Organizers in five other states have also proposed similar measures that would codify abortion access in their state constitutions: Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota.

Arizona organizers submitted more than double the amount of signatures needed for the measure to appear on the ballot.

FILE - Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. A judge on Friday, July 26, rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to decide on a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)