Bruno Fernandes and Erik ten Hag celebrate beating Liverpool (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
Erik ten Hag will be sleeping better this week after Manchester United’s swashbuckling FA Cup success against Liverpool eased the pressure on him.
The 4-3 victory at Old Trafford and the subsequent semi-final draw against underdogs Coventry mean United are on course to reach the final where they will face either Manchester City or Chelsea.
Ten Hag will be rueing the enforced break created by the forthcoming international fixtures as his side would have revelled in taking their newfound momentum into the next round of league matches, especially as Aston Villa’s draw at West Ham and Tottenham’s defeat at Fulham leaves United in with a chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
They are nine points behind Villa in fourth but with a game in hand and the Midlands club also have the added distraction of Europa Conference League football to deal with as the season enters the final furlong.
Spurs are fifth, six points above United, and have also played a game less than Unai Emery’s team which leads Betway to price the north London club at 10/11 to finish in the top four. Villa are 11/8 to do so with Sky Bet while United are 10/1 with the same firm, William Hill and Bet Victor.
It could be that fifth place is enough to punch a ticket to the Champions League but that has yet to be determined and United have to figure that they have to finish behind just Arsenal. Liverpool and Manchester City.
More Trending
Can they do it? Well, United have only lost two of 12 matches in all competitions in 2024 and travel to struggling Brentford when the top flight resumes over Easter, returning to London to face Chelsea in midweek before a rematch with Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, April 7.
The rest of the games in the final furling of the season don’t look too bad apart from the penultimate weekend’s home match with Arsenal and a potential banana skin at Brighton on the closing Sunday.
As for the FA Cup, United are 5/2 to win it with Betway, City are 4/6 with the same firm and Chelsea are 6/1 with bet365, Betfair and Paddy Power. Coventry, for the record, are 33/1 with bet365 and Betfred.
It may be that United miss out on FA Cup success and Champions League football but Ten Hag has given them something to fight for and deserves recognition for that achievement.
• Leicester remain 8/11 favourites with Betway to win the Championship despite dropping to second with a game in hand after Leeds – 2/1 with Paddy Power and Betfair – beat Millwall 2-0 at Elland Road on Sunday.
• Karl Burke’s Liberty Lane, who has won on soft going over course and distance, appeals at 7/1 with bet365 to win the Lincoln at Doncaster on Saturday as the new flat season starts in earnest.
MORE : Erik ten Hag names Man Utd star who ‘inspired’ team-mates vs Liverpool
MORE : Erik ten Hag admits Man Utd star deserves more playing time after FA Cup heroics against Liverpool
Chelsea news, exclusives and analysis
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.