After the Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid, Manchester United only have the race for the top four to focus on when they return after the international break.
That is quite hard to get excited about now. It is tough to look forward to an uphill battle just to get back into a competition you have just been dumped out of next season.
The battle for the Champions League spots is something of a phony war really as well, not the kind of thing United fans really want to be fighting for.
But speaking to BEIN Sports after the loss to Atletico, Ralf Rangnick set his United side a target to hit to get the points to get into the top four.
“We now have a – very unusual during the season – two and a half week break before the next game,” said Rangnick.
“We have nine games remaining and to get into the top four, we will have to win most of those games.
“We have to win maybe seven out of those nine games which is not easy thing to do but it is our job to finish the season on the best possible note.”
United need to repeat Solskjaer trick
After the first lockdown, during Project Restart, United played nine Premier League games behind closed doors after football’s resumption.
They won six of them and drew the other three, picking up 21 points – the same target Rangnick has set with his ‘seven wins’ target.
That is the level of form United need to hit after the international break according to Rangnick to get into the top four.
That streak of results came out of nowhere under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but United found that elusive consistency and reeled in Leicester, who looked too far gone when football paused.
Perhaps Chelsea could be caught in the same way with the chaos there, or Arsenal’s familiar failings will rear their heads if United get some form together and pile the pressure on.
That might be wishful thinking but all United can do is show the consistency their manager is demanding and give themselves the best possible chance.
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