Defender Matthijs de Ligt has admitted he would not consider the struggles Manchester United have faced this season as a "shock", despite admitting better should have been expected.
United head into the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad this evening knowing the competition offers their last remaining hope of salvaging something from what has otherwise been a forgettable campaign.
The Reds exited the FA Cup on Sunday, losing to Fulham on penalties at Old Trafford, meaning the Europa League offers their only realistic route into Europe for next season. The winner of the competition will secure Champions League qualification for 2025/26.
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United are currently 14th in the Premier League, highlighting the size of this season's troubles. However, De Ligt, who joined the club from Bayern Munich last August, does not believe United's current predicament is all that surprising, pointing to the demands of the Premier League.
"I wouldn't call it a shock," said De Ligt. "What I said, obviously, you would have expected a little bit better the way it is at the moment. But, yes, it's the Premier League where you're playing.
"And the Premier League is, you can't be at 99 per cent every day because then you lose games against the teams that are in the Premier League. So, obviously, this season, in a lot of games, we haven't been good enough. So we know that.
"We try to improve as a team, try to improve as an individual, which also is really important, I think. And then, in the end, it has also sometimes a little bit to do with luck also, I think. But we all know that we have to improve and to become better.
"But I'm now talking about the Premier League. But I think tomorrow [vs Real Sociedad] is another chance to show our worth in a European competition.
"Until now, we haven’t lost a game. So hopefully we can keep it that way and get a good result."
