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MU is starting to find stability again. |
The third day of the qualifying phase of the 2025/26 Champions League witnessed the overwhelming force of English football, with five of the six representatives winning emphatically. Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea won (Tottenham drew 0-0 with Monaco), with performances that marked a solid comeback and a large squad.
5/6 The England team won
Manchester City continued to show the usual stability of a European champion, easily beating Villarreal 2-0 in Spain. Pep Guardiola’s team is no longer as explosive as at its peak two seasons ago, but it is still composed and effective enough.
At the same time, Arsenal defeated Atlético Madrid 4-0 in a spectacular performance at the Emirates, a match that was seen as confirmation that Mikel Arteta and his team had matured and were ready to return to the championship contender group.
Newcastle, who have generated controversy for their unconvincing start to the Premier League, are at their best in Europe. A 3-0 victory over José Mourinho’s Benfica not only added two consecutive victories in the Champions League, but also restored the image of a Magpies full of pace and power. Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes shone in Eddie Howe’s pressing system, a sign that Newcastle have overcome their slump.
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Qualification of 36 teams in the qualification round. |
But the two victories that most excited English fans were those of Liverpool and Chelsea, teams that were defeated by Manchester United in the Premier League this season.
Liverpool, after a streak of four consecutive defeats in all competitions, woke up in Frankfurt. Without Mohamed Salah in the starting eleven, Arne Slot’s team displayed powerful attacking football to come back and beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1.
The central defender duo of Van Dijk-Konaté, along with new signing Florian Wirtz and striker Hugo Ekitike, left their mark, showing that Liverpool have enough depth and courage to overcome the crisis. Slot, despite being new to Anfield, quickly brought resilience and a strong spirit to the team after the defeat.
In London, Chelsea continued to write a new chapter in their era of rejuvenation. Against Ajax, the team that once dominated Europe with its famous training academy, the “Blues” won 5-1, on a brilliant night for the young players.
Marc Guiu, Estevao Willian and Tyrique George scored, making Chelsea the first team in Champions League history to have three teenagers score in the same game. The second youngest team in the history of English football in the Champions League not only won, but did so with style and confidence.
Try to position the MU in the League Champions
Interestingly, both Liverpool and Chelsea have been beaten by Manchester United this season. Liverpool lost 1-2 against MU at Anfield, while Chelsea also lost by the same score last month. Although MU currently occupies ninth place in the Premier League, this result makes many remember the career of Ruben Amorim and his team with more respect.
In fact, MU is going through an intense schedule in the first quarter of the season, having faced Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, four of the five teams that are succeeding in a big way in Europe. However, they still won two games against Liverpool and Chelsea, and had an impressive performance against Arsenal, but lost due to bad luck.
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A year ago, Amorim defeated Guardiola in the Champions League. |
Considering Manchester United’s current form and the relative strength of English teams in the Champions League, there is reason to believe that if the “Red Devils” were to play at this stadium this season, they could score between 6 and 7 points, enough to break into the top 8, meaning they are above Barcelona currently. Of course, all comparisons are hypothetical, but that figure is enough to reflect one fact: Manchester United is recovering little by little.
After a turbulent summer, coach Ruben Amorim is showing a clearer tactical strategy, especially in his pressing ability and midfield organization. MU may not have reached the level of Manchester City or Arsenal, but they are back at it and are harder to beat than ever.
In the overall picture of English football in the Champions League, the five brilliant victories on matchday three are not only an achievement, but also a message of comprehensive strength. Two English clubs are in the top 8 and 6 are in the top 16. And somewhere, although not present, Manchester United left an indirect mark, as a reminder that they are on their way back to the highest level in Europe, where they deserve to be.
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