Even though Manchester United’s recent loss in the Manchester derby left them 11 points lagging behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, manager Erik ten Hag is hopeful about the club’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League, as reported by the Evening Standard.
There is still plenty of time for Ten Hag’s squad to turn things around, even though they lost 3-1 to Manchester City. Phil Foden scored twice and Erling Haaland scored in the last minute to give the opponents the victory.
“This year we are really progressing and you have to get some points back,” Ten Hag stated in an interview with Sky Sports conducted after the match, expressing his resolve. In a flash, everything can change for the better, and anyone can win.
He discussed the unpredictable outcomes and fierce competition in the league.
Nevertheless, Manchester United can take heart from the next Champions League makeover. The two nations with the greatest average coefficient scores will receive an extra spot as a result of the expansion to 36 teams.
England may be in third place, behind Italy and Germany, but the tides have turned in favor of Premier League clubs in the past.
Ten Hag emphasized this chance by saying, “Number five [in the league] can also be a position for Champions League, so we have to fight for it.”
Until the season concludes, though, we don’t know the result. Although United is targeting a higher league position, whether or not fifth place is adequate will be determined by a number of circumstances, such as how other English clubs and their European counterparts perform.