Capital gains can help push for top four

SIR Jim Ratcliffe didn't mince his words when he sat down with journalists in February.

- STEVEN RAILSTON

The new United co-owner was asked about the importance of qualifying for the Champions League and said: "We really, really want to get into the Champions League next year it's quite important for FFP.

It's a two to three-season challenge to get the organisation and environment right to produce results." The British billionaire struck all the right notes in his different interviews that week and reiterating the importance of Champions League football was a message to Erik ten Hag.

United were behind Aston Villa and Tottenham but they'd recently won at Villa Park and when Ratcliffe spoke, the unbeaten run in 2024 had yet to be brought to an end.

Fulham won at Old Trafford just a few days later, which felt like a potentially significant setback in the top-four race, however, the March international break is about to conclude and the Reds are six points behind Spurs and trail Villa - who they have a game in hand over - by nine points.