It might be time for Manchester United to give up on the top 4 and focus on the Europa League

Manchester United are fifth in the Premier League, a mere five points back of Manchester City for the coveted final Champions League place. On top of that, they have a match in hand. The Red Devils are right there in their pursuit of that glorious top four, and yet it might be time for them to put that chase aside.
It might be time for Manchester United to forget the top four and focus on the Europa League.
At this point, all that really matters is qualifying for the Champions League. On top of the tens of millions of pounds that every team gets from qualifying for it, Manchester United reportedly could miss out on significant marketing dollars if they fail to make Europe’s top competition for a second consecutive year. And then there’s the simple fact that Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world, can’t really call themselves that if they’re not in the Champions League for the third time in four seasons. Manchester United need to make the Champions League.

That makes fourth place in the Premier League and winning the Europa League equal in their eyes. It doesn’t matter which they get — both would obviously be great, but really it’s just about making one happen — as long as they get one and are playing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays next season.
So do they have a better chance of catching Manchester City or winning the Europa League? At this point, it’s hard to argue that it’s not the Europa League.
Even if Manchester United win their match in hand, they’re two points back of City. They also have arguably the hardest remaining schedule of any team in the top seven, with Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal all left to play. If they can make it through that gauntlet, not to mention all their other matches, and top their blue-clad rivals, then by all means they deserve a spot in next year’s Champions League. But that’s a tough mountain to climb.
Meanwhile, their path to the Europa League looks clear as can be. They’re matched up against Anderlecht in the quarterfinals, a fine team, but one that hasn’t run away from the relatively weak Belgian league and needed away goals to get past Zenit St. Petersburg in the previous round.
Of the remaining teams left in the Europa League, Olympique Lyon is the next best team and they’re merely fourth-best in Ligue 1. Either them or Schalke, a mid-table Bundesliga team. That is unless you believe that the Belgian league’s eighth place Genk is excellent.
Manchester United aren’t just the best team left in the Europa League — they’re miles better than anyone left.
So if Jose Mourinho is looking at what’s left this season and trying to figure out what to prioritize so he can throw his best team at the competition that can deliver him a Champions League spot, it’s pretty clear where he should focus. It’s the Europa League.
Next week, the Europa League quarterfinals kick off and Mourinho will have to make that choice. He knows it, too.
“It’s possible that you see me play in the Premier League with a team where I’m going to protect the players that I consider fundamental for the Europa League,” Mourinho said.
Deciding where to focus is clearly on Mourinho’s mind, but his quote did come with a very big caveat — he is going to give it his all on Tuesday against Everton and again when the Red Devils square off against Sunderland on the weekend. Then, depending on where Manchester United are in the table, it might be time to focus on the Europa League.
“I go with mathematics. Until it’s impossible mathematically, we keep trying. Because this week is a week without the Europa League, we have nothing to think about with the Europa League. This week is easy.
“After that match against Sunderland, then we have Anderlecht and the quarterfinals of the Europa League are very important for us.”
So Manchester United play Everton and Sunderland, and they’re going to throw everything they can at those matches. But they may be the final two matches that the Red Devils commit everything they have to the Premier League.
It’s coming near time for Manchester United to make a decision — prioritize the Premier League or go for it in the Europa League, all in the name of a Champions League place. And it’s looking more and more like that top four chase is what’s going to be left behind. It’s the Europa League’s time to take center stage at Old Trafford, as strange as that sounds.