Manchester United back in Champions League with rout of Chelsea
Published:
Manchester United will be back in action in next season's Champions League after they hammered Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes (penalty) and Marcus Rashford scored for United, who needed a point from their final two league games to officially end Liverpool's fading hopes of securing a spot in Europe's premier club competition.
"It's important; this club belongs in the Champions League," manager Erik ten Hag told Sky Sports. "But it's not easy in the Premier League. It's a tough competition, so it's a massive performance when you get this done."
Three-time European champions United, who failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, are third on 72 points with one game remaining, six points clear of fifth-place Liverpool.
Fourth-place Newcastle secured a spot among Europe's elite following a goalless draw against Leicester City on Monday. Chelsea, who have struggled all season, are 12th with 43 points.
United, who cap their Premier League season on Sunday by hosting 10th-placed Fulham, won the Carabao Cup in February and will be aiming to complete a domestic double when they face rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final June 3.
"Now it's about finish the league well and go to the FA Cup and win."
Ten Hag's side are unbeaten in Premier League action at Old Trafford for 17 games, going back to the opening weekend of the season.
"They know how important they are for us," Fernandes said of the home supporters. "You could see during the season how important it was in many games, so we just appreciate all the effort."
Casemiro scored in the sixth minute with a close-range header off a long free kick. The Brazilian midfielder helped set up Martial's goal just before half-time with a no-look chip into the path of Jadon Sancho. Martial was there to slot the ball into the empty net.
Interim manager Frank Lampard's Chelsea side collapsed in the dying minutes. After Fernandes had made it 3-0 with a penalty in the 73rd minute, Rashford returned from a two-game absence to score his 30th goal of the season in all competitions, cutting the ball around keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Despite the jubilation of clinching a spot in the top four, a first-half injury to winger Antony as well as Luke Shaw will be a concern for Ten Hag ahead of United's match with Man City. The Red Devils are already without Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer for that match.
Joao Felix pulled one back for the visitors in the 89th minute, but the game was as far out of reach as their season, with Chelsea set to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time since 1995-96.
Related News

Lionel Messi said he did not want to relive his traumatic departure from Barcelona two years ago after revealing Wednesday that he will join MLS side Inter Miami CF over the Catalan club.

Sergio Busquets has held talks with Inter Miami about the possibility of following Lionel Messi to the Major League Soccer franchise, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

Jarrod Bowen scored in the 90th minute as West Ham United secured a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday to clinch a first major European trophy in over half a century.

PRAGUE -- West Ham manager David Moyes said winning the Europa Conference League on Wednesday stands as the best moment in his career.

Lionel Messi's announcement that he plans to join Inter Miami sent tickets on the secondary market into the stratosphere on Wednesday as fans clamored for a chance to see the Argentine great play on U.S. soil.

Every player at the Women's World Cup will be paid at least $30,000 by FIFA, and the 23 players in the title-winning team will each get $270,000.

Lionel Messi will make a stunning move to MLS side Inter Miami after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, the World Cup winner with Argentina announced Wednesday.

Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund to sign Jude Bellingham in a deal worth €137 million, the Bundesliga club announced Wednesday.

Sheikh Jassim made a fifth bid to buy Manchester United and told the Glazer family he wants an answer by Friday, sources told ESPN.