Erik ten Hag's subtle improvement has put Man United on course for Champions League qualification

Manchester United's subtle improvements on the road have put them on the cusp of a return to the UEFA Champions League.

Erik ten Hag's side are now just one point away from securing their place amongst Europe's elite next season. Whilst expectations are always high at Old Trafford, the Dutchman has at least matched, if not exceeded expectations.

With a trophy in the bag and an FA Cup final on the way, not to mention the opportunity to end Manchester City's treble hopes, Champions League qualification is a major step forward for United. 12 months ago, it would not have felt possible as they limped to the finish line in a dismal Premier League campaign.

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A year later and United's new steel was tested against Bournemouth in a 1-0 victory on the south coast. Casemiro's acrobatic effort earned them the win with David de Gea and the defence standing strong amid a siege of pressure late on.

The win was fitting to mark United's final away match of the season. There have been huge improvements on last year, with more wins (8), more points (27) and fewer goals conceded (33).

United's poor record away from Old Trafford against the best teams has been well-documented. There is work to do on that front, the team is far from the finished article.

But against the quote-unquote 'smaller teams', United's record has improved significantly. Against the bottom 11 teams in the division, they collected 26 points from a possible 33, losing only once, to West Ham.

Of those eight wins, six of them were to nil, just as it was on Saturday afternoon. United's goals-against tally is heavily massaged by poor results against the bigger sides; conceding six