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6 months ago
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A strange Manchester United match on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag’s side losing to Arsenal.
No surprise there, but the way the game played out, was very strange for me.
It was almost as though as soon as Trossard put the away side ahead after 20 minutes, there was some unspoken agreement between the two teams to accept a 1-0 Arsenal win.
Neither side very interested in going forward and trying to score, the ball constantly played backwards and no urgency from their opponents to change the pattern of this match as it drifted to its inevitable 0-1 conclusion. I have just checked the stats and apparently Man U had two efforts on target but I honestly can’t remember Raya having a proper save to make.
Which you could understand from the Gunners perspective, as all that mattered was another win to keep them in the title race going into the final week of the season.
However, for Manchester United, all a bit embarrassing.
As it felt like their only aim today was to avoid another humiliation.
It really felt to me like Erik ten Hag and Manchester United were happy with the one goal defeat at home! Almost as though it now represented success for them.
The thing is, a defeat was absolutely no use to Manchester United today in reality, apart from saving a bit face comparatively, by keeping the score down after Palace smashed them 4-0 in midweek.
Today’s loss means Manchester United have now won only one of their last eight Premier League matches and that was home to rock bottom Sheffield United. Whilst it is only two wins in Man U’s last eleven PL games, going back to mid-February.
For some time now it had looked a three way contest between Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United for Premier League top six.
However, Man U having been happy to take a low scoring defeat to Arsenal, means they are effectively no-hopers now to finish top six.
These most recent results having a major impact on how the Premier League top six chase now looks…
Saturday 27 April – Manchester United 1 Burnley 1
Saturday 27 April – Newcastle United 5 Sheff Utd 1
Saturday 27 April – Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 2
Thursday 2 May – Chelsea 2 Tottenham 0
Saturday 4 May – Burnley 1 Newcastle 4
Sunday 5 May – Chelsea 5 West Ham 0
Monday 6 May – Crystal Palace 4 Manchester United 0
Saturday 11 May – Newcastle 1 Brighton 1
Saturday 11 May – Forest 2 Chelsea 3
Sunday 12 May – Manchester United 0 Arsenal 1
This is now the updated Premier League table on Sunday (12 May 2024) night:
Listed below are the now updated general Premier League odds available from the various bookies to finish top six this 2023/24 season (in brackets what the odds were before today’s Man U v Arsenal match):
1/1 Newcastle United (1/1)
1/1 Chelsea (1/1)
40/1 Manchester United (12/1)
As you can see, the bookies and punters now make Man U 12/1 complete no-hopers.
These are all the remaining fixtures for the three clubs who can still finish Premier League top six:
Wednesday 15 May – Man U v Newcastle, Brighton v Chelsea
Sunday 19 May – Brentford v Newcastle, Brighton v Man U, Chelsea v Bournemouth
So basically, Manchester United can’t finish top six above Newcastle United if NUFC get a draw at Old Trafford on Wednesday, or win at Brentford next Sunday. Whilst independent of Newcastle’s results, if Chelsea win either of their last two games then Manchester United can’t finish above them either.
It is now a straight shoot-out surely.
Newcastle United simply have to match Chelsea’s results, or better.
Due to their goal difference superiority over Chelsea, Newcastle United knowing that if they end up level on points with them, then NUFC will finish above them.

 
