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Manchester United have been playing well lately. |
In round 29 of the Premier League, Manchester United won 3-0 against Leicester City to continue their impressive form in the domestic league in the past few weeks. The "Red Devils" have not lost in the Premier League since a 0-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on February 16.
Since then, they have drawn two and won two games in the tournament. This is not an outstanding performance, but in the context of the teams in the group above, the group competing for tickets to the European Cup, constantly holding each other back, the opportunity for MU is still there.
Opportunity
With 13th place on the rankings after round 29, and an 11-point gap with the same city team Manchester City, the club is in 5th place, the question is whether the "Red Devils" can make a miracle or not?
A top-five finish would be enough for the Old Trafford outfit to qualify for next season's Champions League, as the Premier League are all but certain to win the race for UEFA's fifth spot.
To enter the top 5, Manchester United (37 points) will have to overcome a series of other opponents. They are Chelsea (4th, 49 points), Man City (5th, 48 points), Newcastle (6th, 47 points). In addition, the teams ranked from 7th to 10th including Brighton, Fulham, Aston Villa or even Bournemouth are all hoping to participate in the European Cup.
According to Opta 's prediction, Arsenal and Liverpool both have a 90% chance of finishing in the top 5. Therefore, there are only 3 remaining spots divided equally among the teams. Forest, the team in 3rd place, also has a 67% chance. Meanwhile, Newcastle has a 45% chance of finishing in the top 5, the figure for Manchester City is 63%.
Manchester United, in their current position, are hardly mentioned in the optimistic scenarios. But football is always unpredictable. With nine games remaining, Manchester United need an impressive winning streak, while also hoping that the opponents above them stumble.
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MU still has a chance to participate in the European Cup next season. |
Their upcoming fixtures will not be easy, including matches against Forest (April 2), Manchester City (April 6), Newcastle (April 13) and Wolves (April 20), Bournemouth (April 27). In May, United will also face Brentford, West Ham, Chelsea and Aston Villa.
In fact, winning a maximum of 27 points from now until the end of the season is almost impossible for the "Red Devils", but if they show excellent form like they are now (unbeaten in March in the Premier League), anything is possible.
It should also be noted that the 2024/25 Premier League is witnessing an unprecedentedly fierce race for European Cup tickets, with up to 8 or 9 teams capable of competing, not counting Arsenal and Liverpool - the two leading teams. If the opponents above play inconsistently or hold each other to a draw, MU has every right to dream of a miracle.
Bright Spot
Despite their disappointing overall form this season, Manchester United have shown some positive signs recently. In late 2024 and early 2025, the team had a streak of 5 consecutive wins in the Europa League, finishing the group stage in 3rd place and being the only unbeaten team in the tournament so far this season.
Players like Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte have shown remarkable efforts in midfield, while the club's defense has also begun to understand Amorim's tactics better. Obviously, the difficult problem for Amorim at this time is to allocate forces for both the Europa League and the Premier League.
Progressing further in the Europa League, where United will face Lyon in the quarter-finals, poses a major challenge. On the one hand, the title would save the season and guarantee them a place in next season's Champions League if they win.
On the other hand, a busy schedule could distract from the Premier League, where they need near-perfect form to climb into the top half of the table more than ever. Manchester United have failed to strike a balance between competitions in the past, such as in the 2023/24 campaign when they crashed out of the Champions League early and finished eighth in the Premier League.
Based on current form, points gap and fierce competition from rivals, the possibility of Manchester United breaking into the top 5 of the Premier League this season is extremely low. The race for a Europa League or Conference League spot next season is probably more feasible for them.
Therefore, focusing on the remaining journey in the Europa League is probably a more feasible option for MU to save the season and rebuild confidence for next season.
Source: https://znews.vn/mu-co-the-mo-ve-top-5-premier-league-post1538987.html
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