Man Utd land Premier League points deduction boost over Spurs and Aston Villa as table reshuffles

Manchester United are locked in a three-way battle for Champions League football this season. With March likely to be a crucial month in determining who will secure their place in UEFA's top-tier club competition., the pressure is on Erik ten Hag and his players.

The United boss has already had to deal with discussion about his future this week. The Manchester Evening News reported how new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has yet to be convinced that the Dutchman is the man to take the team forward.

A strong finish to the season is desperately needed for Ten Hag. Finishing outside the top five may not be enough to keep him in a job, with INEOS assessing other managerial options. However, Ten Hag could receive a huge boost in his bid for Champions League qualification from an unlikely source.

The two sides challenging United for a spot in the competition next season are Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur. Unai Emery's Villa side currently have an eight-point cushion on United inside the top five and a fifth place finish is likely to be enough to qualify for the Champions League this term. Spurs are three points ahead of United, and have played a game fewer. With Spurs heading to Villa Park on Sunday, March 10, the race is hotting up.

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But there's more. The recent decision by the Premier League to change points deductions could also affect things. Last year, Everton lost 10 points for breaking Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The club wasn't happy, so they tried to get the decision changed and everyone was waiting to see what would happen.

On Monday, an independent appeal board said that Everton