Man Utd are on their best run of form all season and head to Villa Park this weekend with the chance to reignite their Champions League hopes.
It was a run of fixtures that could have finally ended Manchester United’s slim hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. But instead a run of games arguably as gruelling as they have faced this season has instead given Erik ten Hag’s side a pulse when it comes to salvaging their Premier League campaign.
Four of their last five league games have been against top-half sides, with three of them against teams ahead of them at the time, but United lost just one – and that was against the only side they faced in the bottom half of the table. The wins against Aston Villa, Wolves and West Ham and the draw against Tottenham have made for a positive few weeks.
The defeat at the City Ground is the only loss in the last seven games and although there are still flaws to iron out, Ten Hag can suddenly look ahead with some positivity. His side are into the FA Cup fifth round and back up to sixth in the Premier League.
For most of this season returning to the Champions League has looked almost impossible, but after that string of encouraging league results it no longer feels quite as unlikely. United are eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth and six behind Tottenham in fifth and that could yet be enough this season if English clubs achieve enough success in Europe to end the year in the top two in the UEFA coefficients table.
Liverpool progress in the Champions League and the Europa League once European action resumes this month. The early exit from continental competition of both Manchester United and Newcastle United has damaged the chances of securing enough points to guarantee that bonus spot, but there are enough teams left in Europe to make an impact and Arsenal, West Ham, Brighton and Aston Villa can all play their part.
It’s a convoluted system that United will now be paying closer attention to. If the Champions League looked a long way away at the end of 2023, it is suddenly back on the agenda. At a time when the Premier League’s financial rules are causing ongoing headaches at Old Trafford, securing the revenues that Champions League football brings is absolutely vital, not to mention the prestige and the glamourous ties.
But before United look too closely to Anfield and the Etihad for favours, they can get their own season firmly back on track this weekend. A second Premier League win against Aston Villa in the space of seven weeks will propel them back into the discussion for a top-four finish.
That Boxing Day success over Villa saw Rasmus Hojlund get his first Premier League goal and he has scored in his three subsequent starts in the competition. United are suddenly firing in front of goal and that is making a big difference.
Conversely, Villa have won just two of their last six Premier League games, against Burnley and Sheffield United. With their own European commitments set to resume next month they might find it gets harder to last the pace. If United can maintain their form and put Unai Emery’s side under pressure then they might yet be able to reel them in.
