Manchester United lost their 11th game in the Premier League this afternoon after a 3-1 defeat against Man City at the Etihad Stadium, but manager Erik ten Hag is refusing to give up on Champions League qualification even though the Reds are 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.
With 11 points remaining in the Premier League, United have a lot of catching up to do if we are to finish in the top four, which would secure qualification to the Champions League next season.
That is where United need to be every season. Not dipping in and out every second year.
New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had made Champions League qualification the team’s main objective this season and it’s just been made more difficult.
City’s deserved win on Sunday meant that United have lost more ground in the race for top four. Both Villa and Tottenham won their matches this weekend and securing a Champions League spot by finishing fourth is no longer in our hands.
We would need Villa to slip up badly, or for the Premier League to end up five spots in the extended competition.
Ten Hag still believes his players can turn things around.
“It can be a quick turnaround,” said Ten Hag, as quoted by BBC Sport. “We have to go into another final and try and get closer to them.
“It can be an advantage that fifth spot can also be a Champions League spot, so we have to go for it and win our games.”
Last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham has only made matters worse, but we knew that was likely to be the case a week before the Manchester derby.
United take on Everton in the Premier League next Saturday. Drop points in that fixture and we can forget about finishing in fourth or fifth place, especially when Villa face Tottenham.
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Deluded.not a hope in hell