Lee Sharpe backs Manchester United to still pick up a trophy this season
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The Europa League reaches its new play-off stage this evening, with teams vying to reach the knockout round of the competition.
For Manchester United, they qualified automatically out of the new league phase, and the Europa League presents an opportunity for the club to still end the season with silverware.
Given their league form and performances, United don't look like a team who could reach the final in Bilbao, but Lee Sharpe still believes that they are a threat in the competition.
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"I do yeah! Because I think that in one-off games, they can turn it on," Sharpe told Zamsino, when asked if he thinks his old club can lift the trophy.
"Where they have struggled is with consistency. They played well against Liverpool, they played well against Arsenal, and then played poorly in the two games after.
"You half expect them to put in one performance one night, but then struggle in the next. It seems to be that sort of season where they can turn it on for a big game but struggle for week-to-week consistency."
FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
This season has seen a revamped Europa League, adding a new league phase to the tournament akin to the Champions League, and while Shape isn't totally sold on the format, he can see the benefits from changing the competition.
"I’m not overly sure on it to be fair," he added.
"The old format could mean that the top teams win the first games and the last game becomes a bit of a dead-rubber, whereas at least this way they seem to be playing for something, with the top 8 and the playoffs and the bottom 8 go out.
"I’m not convinced at the moment, but I think that it’s a step in the right direction!"
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