A return to the Champions League was widely regarded as the minimum requirement in Erik ten Hag바카라s first year in charge of Manchester United.
He will secure that if his team can pick up one point from its final two games of the season, both at home, against Chelsea on Thursday and Fulham on Sunday.
Having got to this stage, it would take a remarkable collapse to miss out on a place in the top four now and hand the final Champions League qualifying position to arch-rival Liverpool.
It is a prospect United바카라s fans dare not contemplate and one Ten Hag is not considering.
바카라We want to win the game, play dominant football and get the job done,바카라 the Dutch manager said Wednesday.
A return to European football's elite competition is vital in Ten Hag바카라s mission to restore United to its former glories.
Having been a Champions League mainstay under former manager Alex Ferguson, the club has repeatedly failed to qualify for it since the Scottish great바카라s retirement 10 years ago. United finished sixth last season, the fifth time over the past decade it has fallen outside of the top four.
Ten Hag바카라s first job was to reinstate the 20-times league champions among English football's elite and a place in the top four will be confirmation of that.
Qualification to the Champions League will not only be good for United바카라s reputation around the world as one of football's most popular clubs, but also bring it much-needed revenue from prize money and commercial deals.
In prize money alone, it is estimated it would cost United around $48 million if it missed out again.
For Ten Hag, extra revenue should help to fund his recruitment plans, with a prolific striker his priority.
The ability to offer Champions League football to prospective targets should also strengthen United바카라s hand in transfer negotiations.
Harry Kane, for instance, will not be playing in next season바카라s competition if he remains at Tottenham. Qualification to the Champions League would be evidence that United is moving in the right direction and Ten Hag바카라s influence is being felt.
United was in disarray when he was hired last year. It fired club icon Ole Gunnar Solskjaer midway through the season and replaced him with interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who also failed to turn its fortunes around.
Ten Hag has already lifted his first trophy by winning the League Cup and has also advanced to the final of the FA Cup against Manchester City on June 3.
But securing a place in the Champions League could ultimately determine the success of the season.
바카라We want to compete with the best and be in the Champions League,바카라 Ten Hag said. 바카라In the Premier League, you have to be one of the first four. That바카라s not easy, many are competing for it, many think they should (be in it).
바카라We are in a project. We want to go back and win trophies. We win one trophy, but we want more trophies, (to) compete with the best. We are still in a journey but we think we are in the right direction. It can always be better because good is not good enough.바카라
