Manchester United’s Champions League hopes rest on three players

Man Utd are back in action this weekend and they need to win the majority of their final 10 Premier League games to secure Champions League football.

The equation isn’t simple for Manchester United and securing a second successive campaign in the Champions League isn’t in their own hands, but there is still plenty that Erik ten Hag’s side can do to force the issue over the next couple of months.

With the final international break of the season drawing to a close this week, the starting pistol is about to be fired on the run-in and United still have two targets to aim for. Back-to-back FA Cup finals are within reach and reeling in at least one of Aston Villa or Tottenham is vital, not just for the prestige of Champions League football but for the benefits it brings to the balance sheet.

There are 10 league games remaining and United will hope there are two trips to Wembley. The first comes on April 21 to face Coventry City and the second should come on May 25 and another cup final, probably a rematch against Manchester City.

Knockout football will take care of itself, but it is in the league where United are the hunter rather than the hunted. They were never really under pressure for a top-four finish last season, but this time they are desperately chasing down the teams above them. Ten Hag will be aware of just how much is at stake if that gap can’t be closed.

It currently stands at six points to Tottenham and nine to Aston Villa, with a game in hand. Both have tougher run-ins than United and both will play all of the top three in the final weeks of the season.

But to close down six points in 10 games will require Ten Hag’s side to maintain the kind of form they have been showing in recent weeks – and to probably raise it another level. To put it into context, their last 10 league games, beginning with the Boxing Day win against Villa, have produced 19 points.

In that run of form, they moved from eighth to sixth and closed two points on Villa (who played a game more) and Tottenham. So more will be required, even if those two sides slow down a little.

At least seven wins will be needed, if not eight. That includes home fixtures against Liverpool and Arsenal as well as trips to Chelsea and Brighton. It won’t be easy to pull off.

If it is to happen, then it’s going to happen in style. United have two clean sheets in those last 10 league games and don’t look like keeping too many more this season. Goals will be essential and in recent weeks there have been two 4-3 victories and a 4-2 win.

The best route to claiming the seven or eight wins needed is by scoring plenty of goals and to achieve that Ten Hag needs his front three to fire and build on the form they have shown in recent weeks. Since Christmas, there has been promise in the performances of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.

Rashford has six goals in his last 12 games, Garnacho four in his last 14 and Hojlund eight in his last nine. The Dane has suffered a couple of fitness setbacks in that time but he is back available again now and will be crucial between now and the end of May.