How the Reds can qualify from Group A
Manchester United’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage of this season’s UEFA Champions League were dented on Wednesday evening but, despite the defeat, the Reds remain firmly in the hunt to progress.
The 4-3 loss away to FC Copenhagen saw us drop to the foot of the Group A standings on matchday four, but only a point separates United from Wednesday night’s opponents in the second qualification place, with two games still to play.
Continue reading to see how the group looks at present, who Erik ten Hag’s team play in our remaining fixtures and what the qualification permutations are, before the first of those, later this month.
Highlights: FC Copenhagen v United
Watch the decisive moments as the Reds lose by the odd goal in seven at Parken Stadium...
1st – Bayern Munich (12 pts, +5 GD)
2nd – FC Copenhagen (4 pts, -1 GD)
3rd – Galatasaray (4 pts, -2 GD)
4th – UNITED (3 pts, -2 GD)
Wednesday’s defeat in Denmark saw United fall to fourth place, while victors Copenhagen leapfrogged both the Reds and Galatasaray into second spot. In the group’s other matchday-four fixture, the latter were edged out 2-1 away to Bayern Munich, who secured a place in the knockouts as Group A winners. While the German champions will definitely finish at the summit, the other top-two spot is still up for grabs.
Matchday 5 – Galatasaray (A), 29 Nov
Matchday 6 – Bayern Munich (H), 12 Dec
Next up for the Reds in the Champions League is a crucial trip to Turkey to face Galatasaray, in the first midweek after the upcoming November international break. That is before our group-stage campaign concludes just over a fortnight before Christmas, with a blockbuster Old Trafford clash against Bayern Munich on Tuesday 12 December.
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Defeat to Galatasaray in our next European outing would see Erik ten Hag’s side eliminated from the competition, so a return of some kind of form is necessary on matchday five.
A United victory and anything less than victory for FC Copenhagen away to Bayern Munich would see us move into second place and have qualification in our own hands, before the matchday-six showdown with the group winners.
The remaining top-two spot mathematically cannot be sealed by any club before the final round of games, so there will, no doubt, be a huge motivation from Ten Hag’s team to ensure we are in the mix for progression as the Bayern match arrives.
It is worth noting that the team who finishes third in every Champions League group will automatically go into the UEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs.