Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag concedes Europa League qualification likely
Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, has conceded that his team is likely to play in the Europa League next season.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after their 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday, Ten Hag acknowledged the challenging position his team finds themselves in.
The match saw Antony give United the lead in the 79th minute, only for Zeki Amdouni to equalize from the spot later on. With this result, Ten Hag’s men remain in sixth place with 54 points and only four fixtures left in the season.
United currently sit 12 points behind Aston Villa, who occupy the coveted last Champions League spot. When questioned about the likelihood of Europa League qualification, Ten Hag responded candidly, stating, “That is the facts. It is not easy to get fourth when you’re so far behind.”
Reflecting on recent matches, Ten Hag expressed frustration at his team’s inability to hold onto winning positions, lamenting, “We needed to win. The past few weeks, we’ve got in winning positions and then given it away. The gap is too big in this phase of the season.”
As the season draws to a close, Manchester United faces an uphill battle to secure a place in next season’s Champions League, with Europa League qualification looming as the more probable outcome.
