CL qualification a long way off
Record man causes embarrassing United bankruptcy
4/9/2022, 4:48 p.m
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For Manchester United, the hoped-for qualification for the Champions League is getting further and further away. After the bitter bankruptcy at relegation candidate Everton, the belief should slowly disappear. It is quite possible that the big club will not play internationally at all in the coming season.
Coach Ralf Rangnick and superstar Cristiano Ronaldo are getting into increasing trouble with Manchester United in the fight for a place in the Champions League. At Everton, the Red Devils lost 0-1 (0-1) in the Premier League. Anthony Gordon scored the only goal of the game in the 27th minute after Harry Maguire deflected a shot that was crucially untenable. For coach Frank Lampard’s team, who had lost five of their six games recently, there were three important points in the fight against relegation.
Maguire continued his streak of bad luck with the bitter goal, to which he contributed significantly with his back: For months, the captain of the English national team has been chasing the class that made him the most expensive defender in the world when he switched from Leicester City to Manchester United in 2019 .
Shortly before the game, even Bayern professional Alphonso Davies joked about the record man: “Guys, can you imagine that? Take a look: You’re Ronaldo. One of the greatest players ever. In the 21st century. And what’s it called your captain? Harry Maguire is your captain,” said Davies, perplexed, who later assured that he “didn’t want to diss Harry Maguire now”. Curious: After conceding, Maguire complained about a handball from Nemanja Matic – his own teammate.
The run keeps getting scarier
From United’s star ensemble around Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba, there was not enough throughout the game. With ten minutes remaining, Pogba tried a long-range shot that Everton keeper Jordan Pickford was just able to hold on to.
As seventh in the table, the record English champions are getting closer and closer with qualifying for the European Cup. At least three points are missing in fourth place, the last place that entitles them to the longed-for participation in the Champions League. However, Tottenham Hotspur played one game less and Arsenal London even played two games less. So the gap could still grow. Manchester United have won just one of their last seven competitive games.
The Champions League qualification is Rangnick’s declared goal, who took over the team, which had been strengthened before the season with ex-Dortmunder Jadon Sancho and Ronaldo, in November in 8th place from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. “We want to finish fourth in the league, that’s the highest goal we can achieve,” Rangnick announced in February. “We definitely want to reach the Champions League, but it won’t be easy.” Now everything has become much more complicated.
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