Man United have to beat the odds and Bayern Munich to avoid Champions League elimination

MANCHESTER, England: The odds are against Manchester United when the three-time European Cup winners battle to avoid elimination from the Champions League.

United face Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Tuesday and need to end the German giant’s record 39-game unbeaten run in the group stages to have any chance of advancing to the knockout rounds.

But even that might not be enough, as Erik ten Hag’s team sit on the bottom of Group A and also need a draw between Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

“What I know is I never think of a negative scenario. We think positive, we know what to do, we have to win to stay in Europe, it’s about that,” Ten Hag said on Monday. “We will prepare the team with that feeling, with that belief. We have shown in the last weeks when we are at our best we can do it.”

Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel does not disagree.

“It’s part of the club’s DNA that they can survive difficult moments,” Tuchel said. “In strong moments, you can see what they’re really capable of. The stadium creates special moments. It will be a big challenge for us.”

Consistency has been the biggest issue for United. That was perfectly illustrated last week when United produced one of their best performances of the season to beat Chelsea 2-1 midweek, but then lost at home to Bournemouth 3-0, prompting loud jeers from fans inside Old Trafford.

Alongside Ten Hag at a news conference ahead of the final group game against Bayern, midfielder Scott McTominay could not come up with an explanation for their wildly varying form.

He did, however, insist the players were behind the manager after recent reports of locker room unrest and a decade of hiring and firing coaches since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

“It is the players’