Thanks to their victory in round 34, Man Utd solidified their third-place position with 61 points, six points ahead of sixth-placed Brighton, with four rounds remaining in the season. Due to leading this season's UEFA coefficient table, the Premier League is entitled to send five teams to the Champions League group stage. Man Utd will achieve qualification under one of two scenarios: earning two more points in the final four rounds, or Brighton failing to win a match.

The prospect of returning to the Champions League brings great joy to Man Utd fans. The "Red Devils" last played in Europe's most prestigious club competition in the 2023-2024 season, and their most recent triumph was in the 2007-2008 season. However, according to coach Carrick, Champions League qualification is not something to celebrate excessively for a club with a tradition of winning the European Cup/Champions League three times and the English league 20 times.

"Champions League qualification is one thing, but we should not over-celebrate it. Man Utd wants to compete for higher positions and earn more points, so there is still much work to do," Carrick stated after the match at Old Trafford on the evening of 27/4.

Coach Carrick (in black) congratulates Casemiro after Man Utd's 2-1 victory over Brentford in the Premier League 34th round at Old Trafford, Manchester, England on the evening of 27/4. *Photo: Reuters*

Yesterday marked Man Utd's second consecutive victory, following their 1-2 loss to Leeds in round 32 at home at Old Trafford. Previously, they experienced similar emotional swings, defeating Aston Villa 3-1 immediately after losing 1-2 to Newcastle in round 29.

Carrick praised the players' quick recovery after setbacks, attributing this resilience to Man Utd's progress in the race for Champions League qualification and regaining fan confidence. "The Premier League is a difficult competition, and the two recent results are very important. We have created an excellent opportunity for ourselves to qualify for the Champions League," the English coach added.

Man Utd began this season with coach Ruben Amorim. However, the team's repeated exits from domestic cup competitions and inconsistent Premier League performance led to the Portuguese coach's departure. When Carrick took over in January, the Manchester club was in sixth place.

Under the guidance of the 45-year-old coach, Man Utd has recorded nine wins, two draws, and only two losses, climbing to top 3. Theoretically, they could even win the title if they secure decisive victories in the remaining four rounds while the leading teams suffer complete defeats. Currently, Man Utd has 61 points, 12 points behind Arsenal and nine points behind Man City.

Thanh Quy (according to Daily Mail)