Sir Alex Ferguson always spoke of this time of year being vital.
The run-in, the final few fixtures, everything on the line. Manchester United might not be challenging for a Premier League title as they were so often under the great man, but they have plenty to play for heading into the final weeks.
An FA Cup final against Manchester City is just around the corner but before then Erik ten Hag's side must work to ensure they earn a top-four finish in the league. That will bring Champions League football back to Old Trafford and benefit the club on and off the pitch ahead of a crucial summer.
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But successive 1-0 defeats on the road have weakened United's hand in what looks a three into two race for the Premier League top four. Ten Hag's men had been sitting pretty but losses at Brighton and West Ham United have opened the door for a resurgent Liverpool, who have cut the gap to a single point
United have a game in hand on their Merseyside rivals, and remain within touching distance of Newcastle United in third. But Liverpool are undoubtedly the in-form side and their remaining three fixtures offer the potential for maximum points.
That would mean Ten Hag's men would need nine points from a possible 12 to ensure they achieve a season-long aim of returning to Europe's elite competition. A trio of home matches against Wolves, Chelsea and Fulham along with a trip to Bournemouth offer, on paper, a secure looking run-in.
But with United potentially needing three wins, they will have to overturn recent history to achieve it. Not since the 2009-10 season have the Reds won at least three of their final four matches in a Premier League season. That year they claimed maximum points, but it wasn't enough to hand them the title as Chelsea pipped Ferguson's side by a point.
The intervening 13 years have yielded some pretty poor finishes to campaigns with United having only bettered seven points from their final four matches once, while they collected only two in a dreadful finish to the 2018-19 season. A year ago, United lost four of their last six, winning only one. Ten Hag's side have improved on plenty of levels this season and he will be seeking a fine finish to reinforce the positives of what has generally been considered a strong campaign.
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