How Manchester United can qualify for the Champions League 2023-24 Knockout Stage

Manchester United will face Galatasaray on Wednesday with their Champions League hopes hanging. With just two games left to secure qualification from Group A, United are on the last spot of the table.

Having lost three of their four encounters, realistically the hopes of progression should already have dissipated. But fortuitously, only Bayern Munich have attacked the competition with any consistency in Group A so far.

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The German Champions have won all four of their games. United will first need to defeat Galatasaray on away soil to keep their hopes of the knockout stage alive. Even then, a win in Turkey might not be enough. If Copenhagen manages to somehow beat Bayern at the Allianz Arena, that would put them in the hot seat. If Copenhagen pulls off the upset then avoids defeat to Galatasaray in their final group game, they will qualify in second place. Similarly, if the Turkish side beat United and then Copenhagen in their final tie, they will clinch second spot.

United can afford a draw tonight but only if Bayern beats Copenhagen and then Galatasaray draws with Copen in the last matchweek. United will likely need a miracle to see more than two more Champions League games this season. Even a third-spot drop into the Europa League could be beyond them.