Manchester United’s comfortable victory over Bournemouth last night has left them in the box for qualification for the Champions League next season.
With teams around them losing points over the New Year period, Ten Hag’s side have collected three straight wins to leave them five points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham and seven clear of second-placed Liverpool. sixth place.
It has also catapulted United level on points with Newcastle in third, having played one game less and one point clear of second-placed neighbors Manchester City, who travel to Chelsea tomorrow night for their pending game.
If Chelsea were to take points from the Champions League, the Manchester derby in 10 days would give United a chance to overtake City for second place.
The change represents a minor miracle given United’s disastrous start to the campaign and their 6-3 thrashing in the first derby of the season in early October.
Naturally, optimism is approached with caution, given United’s fragility in recent years.
But this is a new United; solid, hard to beat and playing with a passion and commitment that hasn’t been seen at Old Trafford for too long to mention.
Erik ten Hag’s imprint is beginning to take hold; Casemiro has proven to be an inspired signing, Rapha Varane and Lisandro MartÃnez have forged an exceptional partnership at the heart of their defense and Marcus Rashford flies up front.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s management of the circus gave Ten Hag the chance to establish his position, no bad discipline will be tolerated and the team has responded. He’s hitting the big calls.
Even the rise and integration of Alejandro Granacho has hidden the crack of the size of Jadon Sancho as he continues to train individually and in an attempt to return to full fitness.
Sancho could be like a new signing for the second half of the season if he gets going on his return.
Ten Hag has expressed his desire to have a center forward come January to boost United’s finishing power in what he hopes will be a busy and exciting end to the season, with United battling on four fronts.
A couple of domestic cup games stand between United and their litmus test for the next few league games; City at home and league leaders Arsenal away.
The top four was and still is the target, but if Ten Hag is able to deliver positive results from those two mammoth games, United fans will dare to dream of a magical 2023.
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