This article contains affiliate links, and we will receive a commission on any sales generated from it. Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag is expected to qualify for the Champions League. Liverpool’s defeat against Atalanta may affect Manchester United’s decision to retain Erik ten Hag. Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered a 3-0 defeat at home and now face a tough task attempting to advance to the Europa League semi-finals in the second leg.
It was a challenging night for the Premier League’s Europa League participants, with West Ham also losing 2-0 to Bayer Leverkusen. However, Aston Villa brought some cheer to English clubs by beating Lille in the Conference League. How Premier League teams perform in Europe will determine whether the English top-flight lands a fifth Champions League spot for next season. Italy has already secured a place, while England and Germany are competing for the other spot.
Liverpool and West Ham’s recent defeats may harm England’s chances of winning the extra Champions League spot. Manchester City and Arsenal are still in the Champions League, and both drew the first leg of their quarter-finals. However, Thursday’s results could impact the number of English clubs competing in European tournaments next season, which may affect Ten Hag’s future at Manchester United. United are currently sixth in the Premier League, 11 points off fourth-placed Tottenham and fifth-placed Aston Villa.
The opening of a fifth Champions League spot in the top-flight would ease Ten Hag’s concerns as it would mean he does not necessarily have to finish in the top four to keep his job. However, Liverpool and West Ham facing an uphill battle to progress to the Europa League semi-finals. Bayern Munich have the opportunity to beat Arsenal in the Champions League and cement Germany’s right to win the extra spot in next season’s competition. Ten Hag may hope for a remarkable comeback in the Europa League quarter-final, otherwise, the 54-year-old is facing a difficult end to the season that could ultimately see him fail to keep his job.