Manchester United have officially qualified for next season’s Champions League, with manager Erik ten Hag putting them back into Europe’s premier tournament at the first time of asking.
Qualification was secured with a 4-1 win over Chelsea, the joint-most goals they’ve scored in a single game all season and even with conceding a late goal, still the biggest margin they have won by since March in their Europa League game against Real Betis.
However, they will once again be leaving the Europa behind and returning to the UCL after securing a top-four finish on Thursday night and could even end up in third depending on their last game of the season against Fulham and how Newcastle fair in their final Premier League fixture against Chelsea.
In truth, it could have been a different game entirely had Chelsea’s finishing been better, with the Londoners starting as the brighter of the two and creating three big chances early in the first 45 alone. Nevertheless, United went in at half-time 2-0 up and took full control of the game in the second half, but for ten Hag it’s only “job done” and not yet “mission accomplished”.
Job done, but not mission accomplished 👊#MUFC || #MUNCHE
Erik ten Hag says there’s plenty more to do after Man United qualify for the Champions League
The 53-year-old clearly believes there is much further to go before he gets this Man United team where he wants them, stating that “we want to be the best in the world. We have a long way to go but we are [going] in the right direction” and admittedly crediting how far they’ve come since the start of the season.
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They may not have been at their best at times on the night and still managed to give the visitors away a late goal through João Félix, but it was the first conceded at Old Trafford for 11 hours and despite some individual errors this year, David de Gea secured the Golden Glove last weekend with 17 clean sheets.
Casemiro was undoubtedly the star of the show in their penultimate league game, not only grabbing the opening goal but playing a lovely no-look, outside-of-the-boot pass to help set up the second and comfortably earning man of the match.
With an EFL Cup to his name, Champions League qualification and perhaps even a third-place finish overall, that is not a bad first season for the Dutchman.
Now there is simply the matter of going and winning the first-ever Manchester Derby FA Cup final against the newly-crowned champions, Manchester City.
Tommy Fury announces huge fight against former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall
Daisy Jackson
Tommy Fury has announced his next major boxing match – against a rather unlikely opponent.
The Manc boxer and former Love Island star will face Eddie Hall, who once reigned as the World’s Strongest Man and was the first person on the planet to deadlift 500kg.
The match, billed as Beauty vs The Beast (we’ll let you decide who’s who…), will take place at the AO Arena this summer.
Tommy Fury and Eddie Hall will be facing off in Manchester as part of the Misfits Boxing series, a sports promotion company founded by YouTube sensation KSI.
26-year-old Fury – younger brother of heavyweight legend Tyson Fury – remains unbeaten, seeing off all-comers in the crossover boxing world.
As for 38-year-old Eddie Hall (nicknamed The Beast), he retired as a strongman competitor, where he’s previously been crowned the World’s Strongest Man, and has now pivoted into combat sports.
The pair have collaborated recently on several videos online, taking on challenges like a One Punch Knockout and a breakfast eating competition.
But this will be the first time they’ve publicly faced off in the ring.
Misfirst Boxing has once more delivered the biggest match-ups possible in the crossover boxing space, with Fury vs. Hall promising to be a titanic tussle that will captivate fans around the world.
Tommy Fury vs Eddie Hall, Beauty vs The Beast, will take place on Saturday 13 June at the AO Arena in Manchester – you can get tickets HERE.
Corey Blackett-Taylor ruled out injured for the rest of the season
Danny Jones
Bolton Wanderers winger Corey Blackett-Taylor has been ruled out for the rest of the season following injury.
With not that long left in this year’s campaign and the playoff scrap set to ramp up even further in the coming weeks, it’s an unfortunate twist of fate for the Trotters.
Despite still being only a relatively recent signing, having just joined Bolton in the most recent January transfer window, it didn’t take long for him to make a good impression.
Scoring on debut in a 1-0 away win against AFC Wimbledon, the 28-year-old is now set to miss the remainder of the 2025/26 term, letting supporters know the news on Friday, 27 March.
Blackett-Taylor was forced off in the game against Rotherham United after pulling up in the wake of taking a shot, ultimately being subbed in the first half.
It was quickly confirmed to be a thigh injury, and while the specific nature and severity of the damage haven’t been fully detailed, he has now informed fans that his season is over.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “Instantly from arriving at the club, I felt the passion and support from the fans, club, staff and players.
“I have no doubts [about] the club achieving their targets of promotion – I want to say a huge thank you for making me feel so welcomed and comfortable. Unfortunately, my season is concluded due to my injury, but I’ll be here supporting the team to the very end.”
He isn’t the only impactful League One player at a side eyeing up the Championship to have been hampered by setbacks on the physio bench, with rivals Stockport County also confirming an absence at this crucial point in the campaign.
Not ideal for either of the Greater Manchester hopefuls.
Once again, while the recovery period for both of these players has already begun, the exact timelines for their return remain to be seen.
That being said, chances are we’ll see the Derby County loanee back in action before Hills, though we’ll have to wait to find out whether it will be at the Toughsheet Stadium or back with his parent club.
Who do you think is going to clinch that third promotion place at Wembley come this May?
Danny Jones -
26th May 2023 
