Man Utd face their biggest game of the season so far on Thursday when Real Sociedad travel to Old Trafford for the second leg of a Europa League last-16 clash.
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Updated 12:00, 10 Mar 2025
Manchester United players celebrate after Joshua Zirkzee gave them the lead against Real Sociedad
United played well in Spain against Real Sociedad and now need to finish the job back at Old Trafford
(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
Only one Manchester United team in 43 years has failed to secure European football at Old Trafford, but that is the bogey prize the current crop are flirting with between now and the end of the season.
The Europa League knockout stages have become a high-wire act for United, with every tie bringing trepidation and the fear that this might just be where it all ends. This season is now riding on the Europa League, but to a large degree so is next season.
It remains the only prize still on offer for United in this most dismal of campaigns and it also the only plausible route back into European competition next season. In the week of the Cheltenham Festival, United have four hurdles to get over before they can celebrate a prize in Bilabo that will bring relief as much as celebration.
The first obstacle in their path is on Thursday when Real Sociedad arrive at Old Trafford. Fall at the first and United's season will be over by mid-March. Finish off the job after a 1-1 draw in San Sebastian last week, and they will move on to a quarter-final, most likely against Lyon.
With United still 14th after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal, it is Europe or bust for this squad, and there is no getting away from that. Christian Eriksen knows a Europa League last-16 tie has more riding on it for this club than would typically be the case.
"It’s massive. We know the pressure, and we know the situation we’re in in the league," he said after the draw with the Gunners.
"To get into Europe next season, we have to win a lot of games in the league or go through the Europa League, so we know there’s a lot of pressure on that game, but it also comes with being at this club. You play for trophies so we have to play well to go through."
United let a lead slip in Spain but also played with enough control to suggest they should be favourites this week despite an injury crisis that could deepen after Leny Yoro limped off on Sunday.
The pressure being felt in the squad isn't just about delivering a trophy or securing European football that is so vital not just for the prestige it brings, but the financial rewards as well. There is also an element of embarrassment at the way this season has played out so far.
Europe now offers the only balm to soothe those ills. Since 1981/82, only once have United failed to qualify for Europe (aside from the five-year ban after Heysel), that coming in 2013/14 when they finished seventh in the league. The current squad don't want to add their names to that list.
"It’s where [the club] belongs," Eriksen said, "but we don’t belong being in the lower half of the Premier League either, so it’s a bit in between. We try to do our best to get up [the league], but we’re not in a position we want to be in.
"It could save a little bit with the Champions League and the Europa feeling, but in terms of the Prem we still need to get a lot of points to go higher."
Opta put United's chances of qualifying for Europe through their Premier League position at 0.02%, so realistically, it is all down to the Europa League.
But that doesn't mean the squad are writing the league campaign off. Eriksen said looking at the league table was "not fun" and wants to add any layer of gloss possible over the final 10 games.
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"We want to be higher. We’re at United, so we have to be higher," he said. "But in the end, the ball is still rolling on the pitch we so have to just focus on the football and look at the table when hopefully, at the end of the season, we end up higher, and we’ll forget about this. But at the moment, we have to fight for it."