Manchester United can benefit on Champions League rule that Liverpool just missed out on

There is change coming at Manchester United, even if it's not quite as radical as supporters had hoped for, but one area that is unlikely to be affected by Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment into the club is the demands on Erik ten Hag this season.

That day at Wembley in February when United ended a six-year trophy drought to win the Carabao Cup was memorable for players and supporters, but when it comes to the demands of the business, the priority at the start of every season has to be to book a place in the Champions League. Silverware on top of that is a bonus, for now.

Only twice since 2013 have United enjoyed back-to-back seasons in the Champions League and on one occasion that came via winning the Europa League in a season in which they finished sixth. Only once in the last 10 campaigns have they secured back-to-back top-four finishes.

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That is the inconsistency that Ten Hag is striving to end but a couple of months into this season, it is a pattern that is looking all too familiar. United's third-place finish last season was excellent, but they haven't built on it. After eight games of this season, they are the epitome of average. Slap bang in the middle of the table, having won four and lost four.

The bookmakers have made their feelings clear on United's chances of finishing in the top four. They are seventh or eighth favourites, a similar price to Chelsea. The oddsmakers have Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Brighton as more likely to occupy those places.

But the good news for United - if you can call it that - is that they might not need