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Manchester United emerged 'lucky' to secure their third-place finish, edging out their historic rivals, Liverpool. This candid observation, dripping with decades of rivalry, comes from none other than Anfield veteran, John Aldridge.
Despite their unsteady kickoff, the Red Devils clawed back, beating the Reds by two rungs and eight valuable points on the Premier League ladder. Throughout the majority of the season, Aldridge's former side seemed far from grasping a coveted top-four spot.
Despite an admirable late push, winning seven out of their final nine matches, the Reds fell short. The top-four was rounded out by Manchester United, Newcastle United, Arsenal as runners-up, and crowned champions, Manchester City.
Aldridge didn't mince words when he described Liverpool's performance this season as 'disastrous'. In his view, the Erik ten Hag-led Manchester United team got 'lucky' in securing a Champions League spot, finishing higher than his former squad.
In his column for Independent.ie (via Metro), Aldridge laid it bare:
"Manchester United got lucky on a few fronts this season as they stumbled over the finishing line in the race for a top four finish. Yet this is the season when all that has been ripped up and nothing had made sense. For starters, we had a World Cup that should never have been allowed to take place stuck in the middle of the season."
Aldridge believes this split season, with the World Cup lodged in the middle, created distinct pre and post-tournament narratives. This shift played into Manchester United's hands as the Red Devils said goodbye to Cristiano Ronaldo right before the tournament. This could have been a distracting narrative if the season had continued uninterrupted.
Once Premier League action resumed, Ronaldo's departure had cooled off, allowing United to navigate their campaign without any media frenzy.
Aldridge observed:
"Another big helping hand that has pushed United towards a top four finish has come from their rivals, especially Chelsea and Liverpool. I would suggest Liverpool have had a disastrous season."
Anfield's difficulties were rooted in injury issues, particularly in their attacking force, which was wiped out in the pre-World Cup phase. But the return of players post-World Cup did not dispel the storm.
"The trouble was, Liverpool’s problems didn’t go away when all the players came back. This is a season when Liverpool have been dreadful and United and been hailed for making big progress under Ten Hag, they are only eight points ahead."
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes discusses earning Champions League ticket over Liverpool
Manchester United's midfield maestro, Bruno Fernandes, expressed his confidence that the Red Devils' fans will revel in their Champions League qualification. This is especially given that it comes at the expense of their fierce rivals.
In their Thursday night showdown, Manchester United steamrolled Chelsea with a resounding 4-1 victory, guaranteeing them a ticket to the Champions League stage next season. As a result, Liverpool find themselves consigned to the fifth position, demoting them to Europa League duties in the upcoming term.
This unexpected turn of events has been received with pure delight by the Manchester United faithful. Fernandes, who added to his goal tally by converting a penalty in the victorious Chelsea bout, shared his thoughts with Sky Sports.
He stated (via GOAL):
"We know that means a lot, for us it’s about getting our goals completed so we did. Obviously we knew [the fans] would be happy for Liverpool to not be there but for us it’s not about that, it’s getting the best we can for ourselves because we have to look after ourselves."
