How can Man Utd win their Europa League group?

Manchester United could have designs on a return to the Champions League underneath Erik ten Hag, however this season they’re totally targeted on succeeding within the Europa League.

A 3-0 victory over Sheriff has arrange a showdown with Real Sociedad on the ultimate matchday of the group stage to resolve who wins Group E. However, the onus is on United to get a optimistic end result in the event that they wish to keep away from a nasty play-off fixture – which we’ll get to shortly.

Here’s how United can win their group.

The eight group winners attain the final 16 of the Europa League routinely. Those ties are performed in March. The runners-up, nevertheless, qualify first for a two-legged play-off towards one of many third-placed Champions League groups.

In a season already stuffed with fixtures, the very last thing United want is to fill a niche in their schedule with a play-off tie towards a staff dropping from Europe’s premier competitors – United have already got two postponed Premier League video games to suit into their calendar.

Six-time Europa League winners Sevilla will once more drop down into the competitors, as will Barcelona. Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Ajax is also concerned.

When are the knockout spherical play-offs?

The first legs of the ties can be performed on 16 February 2023 and the return video games can be performed on 23 February. The draw for the play-offs can be held on 7 November.

Real Sociedad and Manchester United have sewn up the highest two spots in Group E, with neither Sheriff nor Omonia Nicosia able to catching them up on the ultimate matchday.

With 5 video games performed, Real Sociedad are prime with 15 factors. United path them on 12, profitable 4 of their outings. Sociedad received the primary sport between the 2 sides 1-0 because of Brais Mendez’s penalty.

The main tiebreaker utilized by UEFA within the Europa League is the head-to-head file, so United want to raised Sociedad’s 1-0 end result at Old Trafford with the intention to prime the group. A 1-0 win won’t be sufficient for United, because the head-to-head data can be equal and objective distinction can be used as the subsequent tiebreaker; Sociedad are three objectives forward.