Jamie Carragher has questioned if Manchester United's players will be motivated enough to defeat Crystal Palace and secure a Europa League spot.
It's been a long, hard season for United, which will finally come to an end on Sunday afternoon when Ralf Rangnick takes charge of his final match at Selhurst Park. Though the stakes do not include the Premier League title — as many had hoped and expected at the start of the season — United still do have something to play for, as well as their dwindling pride.
A win against Palace would ensure that United qualify for the Europa League next season after failing to finish in a Champions League spot. However, should they drop points to the Eagles and West Ham are victorious in their own final game against Brighton, then they would instead be leapfrogged by the Hammers and slip into the UEFA Conference League instead.
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This is exactly what Liverpool great Carragher expects to happen. He told The Telegraph, “West Ham. They need a slip from Manchester United, but how many United players will be motivated at Crystal Palace? My suspicion is that West Ham want this more.”
The Conference League is the new third tier of European competition which has enjoyed a successful debut campaign this season, with the final between Roma and Feyenoord to take place on Wednesday. However, it would still be an embarrassment for a club the size of United to be in the competition, even if they are in no position to sniff their nose at any potential trophy.
United go into the match without top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo who is understood to be out through injury, as well as Luke Shaw, Paul Pogba and Alejandro Garnacho.
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