Manchester United fight for four lives and deaths, Villa can boost Champions League hopes! Ten Hag said every game is a final

United's hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League this season were on the verge of being dashed, and on Boxing Day at Old Trafford, Ten Hag looked grim on the sidelines when Dendoncker found a gap between six Red Devils defenders to score and make it 2-0 for Aston Villa. A defeat would leave United 14 points adrift and their chances of qualifying for the Champions League all but gone. Luckily, the Red Devils completed a magical half-time comeback, winning 3-2 and closing the gap to eight points.

That difference has continued to the present day, with United in sixth place, eight points behind Villa and six points below fifth-place Tottenham, with a top-four hopeful revival. A win at Villa Park this weekend would leave the Reds just five points behind Unai Emery's side, with 14 games remaining, and the chances of another Champions League next season are highly elevated as the momentum has already reached Ten Hag's side.

However, if the defeat to Villa widens the gap back to 11 points, the chances of finishing in the top four of the Premier League are very low. That means the hosts will lose four more games than Manchester United, while Tottenham will lose more than three, and it's unlikely that both will happen at the same time.

'We can be close to Arsenal, we are close to Liverpool. Ten Hag said, "As long as we play at our best, we can beat anyone. You have to have the belief that even if we are 2-0 down, we have to keep going, show our personality and the team is capable of doing that. 」

After the Boxing Day reversal of Villa, Manchester United were not perfect, especially when they were beaten by Nottingham Forest. However, there were also surprises at Villa and Tottenham, with Unai Emery's team having the same record as Manchester United, with two wins, one draw and one defeat.

Now, the battle for Villa Park will be a do-or-die affair, with United only five points behind their opponents if they beat Villa twice, and with three consecutive Premier League wins, all the impetus will be on Ten Hag's side. Ten Hag inspired the Red Devils: "I have been telling the team since the beginning of January that every game is a final now. That's our attitude towards West Ham because it was a final and we have to take the challenge and treat it as a final, every day from now on. 」

There could be five Champions League places in the Premier League next season, but that doesn't guarantee that United will have to target the top four and leave nothing to chance. Moreover, Villa Park is no longer the fortress they had at the start of the season, with back-to-back 2-1 home defeats to Newcastle United (Premier League) and Chelsea (FA Cup) and the Reds could send their opponents to three defeats in a row and break their faith.

Villa remain strong at home, winning 16 of their 19 home games, certainly brilliantly, but defeats in the last two games have given United hope. 'We've been consistent in the Premier League. Unai Emery admitted after the defeat to Chelsea that 'maybe some of the results will give some doubt or a loss of confidence. My goal now is to make sure that we have to regain our confidence at home and play comfortably and we have to analyse and find out. 」

UEFA officially announced this week that next season's Champions League will add £400 million to a total of £2.1 billion. This will lead to a significant increase in income for participating teams, who are keen to qualify for this elite club competition in Europe, giving additional financial incentives, including Manchester United and Villa. Manchester City, the eventual winner of last season's Champions League, received a generous prize of 115 million pounds!

The Glazer family, United's majority shareholder, is very focused on income, and ESPN revealed that former club executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward suggested that players be equipped with wearable, high-tech cameras to provide fans with a view of the player's game for an additional fee.

So, it's a game that will mean a lot for both Manchester United and Villa, and it will be clear who will succeed between Ten Hag and Unai Emery in this high-pressure 90-minute game.