Two remarkable ways Manchester United could sneak into Europe from 11th place | OneFootball

Manchester United have endured an extremely tumultuous and underwhelming season yet there are two ways – one unlikelier than the other – that could secure them European football next term.

Following their 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday, United are now in 13th place in the Premier League table, with 37 points gained from a possible 87.

The Red Devils have suffered 12 top-flight defeats and are 12 points away from top four with nine games left to play.

One of the very few positives for United this season has been their Europa League campaign, with the team set to face Lyon in the quarter-finals after the international break.

For United, climbing the table and securing European football the traditional way appears an uphill task, yet there are still a couple of ways that could secure them qualification.

The most straightforward and obvious avenue is by winning the Europa League. Amorim’s men would have to beat Lyon over two legs next month. A semi-final could then see them come up against Rangers or Athletic Club.

If United were to reach the final, then the likes of Tottenham Hotspur or Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt or Lazio may very well be the opponents to emerge from the other half of the draw. Interestingly, United have the advantage of being at home in the second leg for each of their quarter-final and semi-final ties.

Becoming Europa League champions would not only secure United a trophy but also guarantee them a place in next season’s Champions League as an additional incentive.

Regarding European qualification through the Premier League, a bizarre scenario could see the team finishing 11th secure a spot in Europe next season. However, this would require several outcomes to align perfectly.

England would normally receive four Champions League places, two for the Europa League and one in the Conference League play-off stage – a total of seven teams being in European competitions. Two leagues each season are also given an extra Champions League place based on average UEFA coefficients.

Currently, England leads the standings with the most clubs still competing in this season’s European tournaments, which means the Premier League’s top five could all qualify for next season’s Champions League. Additional spots would also be available for the winners of the Champions League and Europa League if they haven’t already qualified.

For the wild 11th-place scenario to unfold, Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester City must finish as the top four, securing Champions League qualification. Newcastle would then need to claim fifth place, taking advantage of UEFA potentially awarding an extra spot to English clubs based on their strong European performances this season.

This translates to Brighton and Hove Albion securing Europa League football by finishing sixth. Bournemouth would qualify for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup despite finishing seventh. Chelsea, currently sitting in fourth place, would need to slip to eighth while also securing a Europa League spot by winning the Conference League.

Aston Villa would need to finish ninth and secure a Champions League spot by winning the competition. Meanwhile, either United or Spurs would have to end the season in 10th and qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League. Due to the fact that the Magpies’ Conference League place – from winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday – could not be given to any of the top 10 teams as they would all have qualified for another European tournament, the spot would go to the team in the next highest top-flight position – 11th.

Brentford are currently 11th and four points above United.

As previously mentioned, this scenario requires an extraordinary chain of events, with numerous factors needing to align perfectly. For Amorim and his players, the Europa League remains their most realistic path to European qualification.

United are back in action on April 1 when they go away to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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