Manchester United have just been reminded of their priority for the rest of the season

The sprint to the finish line begins in earnest on Sunday for Manchester United, with the possibility of 19 games in 63 days and two more trophies to mark a memorable first season under Erik ten Hag.

Supporters will be eyeing up those dates in Budapest (May 31) and at Wembley (June 3) for the Europa League and FA Cup finals, but for those beyond the scenes at Old Trafford, the remaining 12 Premier League games might feel like the most important.

A reminder of how it feels to win silverware has been welcome this season and Ten Hag has done an outstanding job in his first campaign, but the priority was always a return to the Champions League and on Thursday we got a reminder of why.

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As one club figure explained when the financial results for the second quarter, to December 31, 2022, were released, "had we been in the Champions League, revenues this season would have been at record levels."

You've probably already grasped that the keyword in that sentence is the first one. Had. United aren't in the Champions League after finishing sixth last season.

Instead, they are playing on Thursday nights. The standard has been easier but the latest accounts showed a 32% fall in broadcast revenue, attributable to the difference between the Champions League and the Europa League. That amount to a £28million fall over the three months from October 1 to December 31, which would equate to perhaps around £100million across a season.

What it does show is the value of being in Europe's premier competition, however. That nine-figure sum is the cost of missing out on the Champions League, even if you manage the consolation prize of European football. These are astronomical