So it has happened. Manchester United are out of the Champions League in the most disgraceful manner after a 1-0 defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday. The month of December is not even halfway through and they have lost three out of their four matches. But their defeat on Tuesday is going to hurt them the most because there won’t be another opportunity to set things right. In the Premier
League, they are sixth and trailing fourth-placed reigning champions Manchester City by six points. Which basically means their chances of finishing fourth or better in the league and automatically qualifying for Europe’s top club competition next season are not exactly great at this point.
For those who don’t know, the Champions League winner will automatically qualify for the new-look tournament next season. That’s not to say that United were one of the favourites to win the tournament but an early exit as this can affect the team’s morale badly. Besides, now they have one option fewer to qualify. It may be noted even if United don’t finish in the top-four, they can still qualify next season if English teams collectively do better than others across three European club competitions this season, as per new UEFA guidelines. But that’s not having destiny in your own hands.
The cracks in the United camp are obvious now. For the last few days, there has been an attempt to cover up the shambles United are in. Following a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Bournemouth, a bottom-half team, midfielder Scott McTominay said the players were firmly behind manager Erik ten
Hag. In the preceding days, the Dutchman himself refused to acknowledge that the team was in crisis. If the manager himself is in denial, god bless the team. Imagine a team that is losing one match after another… as a fan can you believe they are united?
This is the main problem in the United camp. Nobody is acknowledging the problem which is a pre-requisite to improving. They started the month with a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United. Next week, they beat Chelsea but then that’s not saying much since the Blues are having another terrible season after finishing 12th in 2022-23. Later that week, the Bournemouth disaster happened. Disaster because it happened at Old Trafford, of all places. Losing in that manner in front of one’s home crowd against a lesser team can’t be a great feeling.
Frankly speaking, United had no chance against Bayern Munich even though they were hosting the German giants. But then one is hopeful. Extraordinary things do happen, especially in the world of sports. Girona had beaten Barcelona on Monday in La Liga. Anything can happen! But teams that are not united and in denial cannot produce extraordinary results. A weak team can bring down a behemoth of an opposition if it’s united but a team which is fractured can never get ahead no matter how many big names it has in its ranks.
United had their worst Champions League campaign to date. Four points from six games is their lowest ever. Besides they conceded 15 goals. No other team from the Premier League conceded that many goals in the group stage of the competition before. Their disgrace has spilt over to the entire
Premier League now! The fact they finished last in their group (4 th ) has also taken away the chance of some Europa League redemption. Ten Hag though has continued to be Pollyannish. In his press conferences, he has continued to be optimistic when there is no reason for him to be so. “There’s still many things to play for. And now we can focus, of course, on the Premier League and this is the level we want to play, Champions League.
So, we have to give every effort in to be in the top four so, next year, we are back in the Champions League and then, of course, the FA Cup. So, there’s still many things to play for,” the 53-year-old said after the defeat.
“…But I think there was a good intensity in the game and I think, from our side, we brought Bayern out of their rhythm of the game. I think the defending organisation, pressing organisation, we did quite well, if not to say, I think very well.”
One wonders if he says these things because he is not ambitious enough. Time is running out for Ten Hag. A third-place finish and League Cup trophy which he lifted with the Red Devils earlier this year can’t help him forever. The Premier League is his last hope. But the way United have played so far and the way he has managed the bunch, it will be nothing short of a miracle if he manages to survive the entire season.
