Erik ten Hag says Manchester United must “do everything” to repay the “best fans in the world” by lifting the FA Cup after his club suffered their worst Premier League finish.

The 20-time English champions signed off a dismal top-flight campaign with a 2-0 win at Brighton but finished in eighth place – their lowest final position since coming 13th in the old first division under Alex Ferguson in 1990.

Qualification for Europe next season – and potentially the future of under-fire manager Ten Hag – is now reliant on beating rivals Manchester City in next weekend’s Wembley final.

The Dutchman thanked United’s supporters for their backing during a difficult period after late goals from Diogo Dalot and substitute Rasmus Hojlund ruined Roberto De Zerbi’s final match as Seagulls boss.

“We have the best fans in the world and I mean this,” said Ten Hag, whose team have 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.”

Mauricio Pochettino dined with Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly in the days before their 2-1 victory over Bournemouth that secured European football, but admitted it left him no nearer to knowing his Stamford Bridge future.

The Argentinian had been due to meet with the club hierarchy following the conclusion to the season to dissect progress at the end of his debut campaign, but after watching his team secure a sixth-place finish in part thanks to a superb halfway-line goal from Moises Caicedo, he said he did not know whether the summit will take place.

Whatever judgement is placed on the 52-year-old by his bosses as the curtain comes down on a tumultuous year, it will surely be boosted by him returning the club to Europe after a season away, with the only jeopardy now whether an FA Cup final victory for United over City on 25 May will drop them from the Europa League into the Conference League.

“I don’t know if (the meeting) is going to happen or not,” he said. “On Friday night Todd invited me for dinner. It was a very nice dinner together.

“I don’t know about the rumours about the review. My staff tomorrow are flying (on holiday). Maybe tonight if (club bosses) decide another thing or tell us to stay, (otherwise) they’ll go for a holiday.

“I’m going to stay a few days more in London. My door is always open and my phone is going to be on.”

Sill, he hinted that the meal he shared with Boehly on Friday was broadly positive.

“If I invite you alone, and you and me have a dinner, it’s not for a bad thing. If I need to tell you something, I call to go for a coffee, not for a dinner.”