Manchester United sustained their top-four position to qualify for the Champions League on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth. Casemiro’s spectacular first-half goal keeps Man Utd in the 4th position with 69 points.
Erik ten Hag’s side would have secured a spot in Europe’s top league next season if Liverpool lost to Aston Villa, but their arch-rivals came back to secure a draw.
United need just a point from their last two Premier League games this season – with London duo Chelsea and Fulham visiting Old Trafford on Thursday and a week on Sunday respectively – to be sure there is a qualifying for the Champions League.
Getting this feat means Ten Hag has achieved his key goal in his first season in charge, with United clinching the League Cup ahead of next month’s FA Cup final against local rivals Manchester City at Wembley.
Marcus Rashford has missed United’s European championship three times because of an unspecified illness, and the England striker was also ruled out of last week’s 2-0 win over Wolves with a leg injury. But despite his absence, United took just nine minutes to get past Bournemouth
Defender Marcos Senesi passed the ball into the box to Christian Eriksen before the Brazilian midfielder performed an acrobatic volley.
However, Dominic Solanke could have equalized for Bournemouth but his low shot was brilliantly saved by David de Gea.
