Manchester United might have secured one of the best results of their season last weekend, but according to Opta, it was also the day that their Premier League campaign officially became a write-off.
The Opta Analyst website listed United's chances of somehow salvaging Europa Conference League or Europa League qualification as 0.02% until the weekend's results, when all hope has now vanished.
Ruben Amorim's side have eased their own brief relegation worries, and the failure of the promoted sides to mount a survival charge has ended any interest in the battle to avoid the drop in March. With the title race pretty much over, the battle for European places is all that remains up for grabs and United are out of the picture.
READ MORE: Man United hero is now a billionaire with over seven times Cristiano Ronaldo's net worth
READ MORE: Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana shows true colours as Cameroon actions spotted
Results elsewhere ended their chances, according to Opta. United are eighth points behind Fulham in eighth and 10 points behind Brighton in seventh, so the gaps to make up are pretty much unbridgeable.
United are now one of four teams given a 0.00% chance of winning the league, qualifying for Europe or going down this season, alongside Tottenham, West Ham and Everton. At least United and Tottenham still have the Europa League to play for and the carrot of Champions League qualification through that tournament.
But this must be the first time in a long time that United's domestic season is essentially over by the end of March. They will want to improve on 13th in the table, but really, that doesn't matter. The focus must be on Europe, and changes are a must, especially for the trip to Newcastle, which is sandwiched between the two quarter-final ties with Lyon.
If anything, Amorim should be using the final nine games of the league season - with the notable exception of the derby - to experiment. Players are returning to fitness, which will increase his options, but he can also turn to the academy to see if there are any gems who could fill holes in his squad before he turns to the summer transfer window.
Rasmus Hojlund is finding form again, but there should be time now to see more of Chido Obi and assess his development over the final couple of months of the season. Harry Amass finally made his debut on his 18th birthday last weekend and can get more game time to see how he shapes up at wing-back.
Amorim knows more about Toby Collyer, but the 21-year-old can get more action to see if he is a better fit for a deeper role or further forward. There could be the chance to offer debuts to Jack Fletcher and Jack Moorhouse, young midfielders who have been on the bench in recent weeks without getting on.
With uncertainty in the goalkeeping department heading into next season, Amorim could hand 19-year-old Elyh Harrison a debut in the Premier League. Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton are out injured now and could both leave the club in the summer. If Harrison can step in as third-choice that changes the requirements in the transfer market.
There might be other young players that Amorim wants to see in the heat of Premier League action, and he is unlikely to get a better chance than the final nine games of this season. He could learn plenty about some of the academy graduates hoping they can step up and fill a spot in his squad.
---
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
