Languishing in seventh position in the league, United’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions league, via their league position, look all but gone with 11 points separating the Red Devils and Liverpool in fourth.
Yet, with Manchester City and Arsenal facing superior opponents in the last 16, and with Chelsea’s focus on the league, could United be England’s best hope of victory in this season’s Champions League?
talkSPORT explains why that may not be as crazy as it sounds…
The Champions League has brought out the best in Moyes
In contrast to the Premier League champions poor form domestically, some of the team's best performances under David Moyes have come in the Champions League.
In a group with Bayer Leverkusen, Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Sociedad, the Red Devils were unbeaten in their six matches, finishing top with 14 points.
Of David Moyes’ reign so far, two of United’s standout performances have come against Bayer Leverkusen. The Germans were Moyes’ first Champions League fixture when they travelled to Old Trafford in September, but were swept aside in a 4-2 victory for the Red Devils, with Wayne Rooney instrumental in the win. In the reverse fixture, United travelled to Germany looking to take ownership of the group and did so in stunning fashion; with Rooney, again, starring in a 5-0 win against Sami Hyypia’s side.
United have a host of Champions League winners in their ranks, with the likes of Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney still regulars in the side that triumphed in Moscow in 2008. This knockout know-how shouldn't be dismissed and United will need to draw on all the experience they can get if they are to go all the way to the final in Lisbon.
Such experience, as other sides have found to their cost, is hard to come by.
Poor league form? It didn’t affect Liverpool or Chelsea
There is no denying Manchester United’s faltering league form this term. The champions have barely put up a defence of their Premier League crown and have watched form afar as Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and possibly Liverpool battle it out for the trophy they won for a 13th time last May.
Yet, United can look to the Champions League wins of Liverpool in 2005 and Chelsea in 2012 as sources of inspiration. In 2005, Rafael Benetiz’ Liverpool side finished a mammoth 37 points behind champions Chelsea, ending up fifth in the Premier League. The Merseyside club’s 58 point haul meant they were facing a season in the UEFA Cup. Well, they would have done without their memorable Champions League victory. The Reds belied their league form to reach the final in Istanbul against Carlo Ancelotti’s AC Milan side and their win on penalties meant they were included in the competition for the following season, despite missing out through their league position.
Chelsea also endured a similarly poor season in the league in 2012. Andre Villas Boas’ time at Stamford Bridge was brought to a halt midway through the season and the Portuguese was replaced by Roberto Di Matteo. The Italian failed to reverse the Blues' struggles in the league, with the West London club finishing outside the Champions League qualifying positions in sixth.
However, Di Matteo guided the club, miraculously, to a Champions League final after masterminding wins over Napoli, Benfica and most notably Barcelona. Chelsea were underdogs going into the final against Bayern Munich in the Germans' own stadium, but like the rest of their campaign, defied the odds to win their first ever Champions League.
The wins mean two of England’s last three Champions League victors have come from sides that have struggled in the Premier League. This will be a source of comfort and inspiration for David Moyes, offering a glimmer of hope that there season can be turned around.
United have the easiest draw
Their season may have been littered with disappointments against the likes of Sunderland, Fulham and West Brom, but surely United will overcome Olympiacos. The Greek side will be no walkover for David Moyes’ side, having remained unbeaten in their 25 domestic league matches this term, but the Red Devils should have too much for the Greek champions.
Positions in the semi-final are far less likely for Arsenal and Man City, with the latter facing an uphill task to reverse a 2-0 defeat when they travel to the Camp Nou for the second-leg. Arsenal face current European Champions Bayern Munich tonight in the first-leg at the Emirates and will be wary of the side that knocked them out last season. It will take the performance of a lifetime for City to recover from their defeat last night and Arsenal will have to be at their very best if they are to overcome Bayern over two legs.
Chelsea’s top priority lies elsewhere
Chelsea have a favourable last 16 draw having been tied with Galatasaray. The draw means former Blues favourite Didier Drogba will come face to face with his ex manager and former team-mates. Though Galatasary will provide a sterner challenge than Olympiacos, Chelsea should still have too much for the Turkish side.
However, going forward, Chelsea best chance of silverware surely lies with the Premier League. Despite his best attempts to convince us otherwise, Jose Mourinho’s side are in with a great shout of winning the title this season and there’s a sense that his side have the bit between their teeth in the title race.
With this in mind, Mourinho’s ‘little horse’ may have to settle for races in the Premier League, with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona likely to be too much for the Blues.
Besides, Mourinho couldn't win the Champions League for Chelsea when he had a much stronger team that was coasting to Premier League titles.
They have to win it… it’s their only route back in
It’s the grave reality of Moyes’ first campaign in charge of the champions that winning the Champions League is probably the only way that United will compete in the competition next season.
Moyes has acknowledged the fact that there needs to be a period of rebuilding at Old Trafford, but failing to qualify for the Champions League will be a major blow to that process.
Attracting players to Old Trafford should be easy for Moyes, but without Champions League football, United will have to pay way over the odds to even talk to some of the players they need to revitalise the side.
With that in mind, Moyes and the players will throw everything they have at winning this season’s competition. It could be the difference in coming years.
So United are going to win it?
It would be against the odds and we wouldn't put any money on it happening at this stage, but you never know in football.
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