Why Crashing Out Of The FA Cup Isn’t A Bad Thing For Manchester United

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Many fans are starting to believe that the honeymoon under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now over. However, they couldn’t be more wrong. The Norwegian tactician suffered back-to-back losses for the first time since joining Manchester United, and these couldn’t have come at a worst time: the loss against Arsenal complicated their hunt for a Champions League spot, and their loss at Wolverhampton eliminated them from the FA Cup.

Many fans believe Solskjaer “wasted away” the chance for silverware due to the FA Cup defeat at Molineux. However, things might end up being the complete opposite. The Red Devils could end up benefiting from the somewhat early exit from the country’s oldest tournament.

Let’s think about it. Manchester United currently sit in fifth place with 58 points after 30 matches. Their recent form has been solid (W3, D1, L1) but that hasn’t been enough to make the jump towards the Champions League spots.

Not everything is negative, though. Manchester United only sit three points behind third-placed Tottenham, and two behind Arsenal, who are fourth. They’re 18 points away from the top so the title is out of the question, but the team’s goal SHOULD BE to clinch a Champions League spot.

Where should Manchester United focus from now on?

The numbers don’t lie. United only need to keep winning, while waiting for both Spurs and Gunners to drop points at some moment of the season. That would be enough to reach a Top 4 finish, something that was unthinkable when Jose Mourinho was managing the side. The upcoming schedule looks a bit tricky though, with games against Watford, Wolves, Everton, Manchester City and Chelsea on the horizon.

As if that wasn’t enough, we also must acknowledge the fact that The Red Devils remain alive in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, where they’ll go up against none other than FC Barcelona. Facing Los Blaugranas should be a daunting task for The Red Devils. We don’t have to be a genius to imagine how tired the squad would be with the FA Cup still in the mix. Especially considering their packed Premier League calendar.

Sure, defeating the Wolves and reaching the FA Cup semifinals would have been great for the club. But they must focus on the bigger picture here. And with bigger challenges ahead, getting eliminated from the Cup might end up being a blessing in disguise for The Red Devils.

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