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Manchester United beat Barcelona 2-1 in a memorable European fixture at Old Trafford last night.
The win secured passage to the next round for United, giving Eric Tenhag his 28th win of the season.
The significance of this figure is that United have won more games in Europe’s top five leagues this season than any other club.
@ManUtd pic.twitter.com/XNBvPBgCgw
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) February 23, 2023
Real Madrid’s impressive victory over Liverpool on Wednesday put them on par with United, but last night’s success put the Reds on top.
Napoli are behind Madrid with 26 wins, while Barcelona and PSG share the top five with 25 wins.
Given that United have just launched their campaign, it’s a small miracle that Eric Ten Hag’s squad is on the list, let alone leading the way.
A losing streak in the Premier League early in the season, combined with fan unrest over ownership and a broken dressing room, gave Ten Hag an enviable job.
Since then, the Dutch manager has restored order and control at the club and found a way of playing that has pushed United to the top of the form table.
Barcelona, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham have all been wiped out by Ten Hag’s men, who are also the only team in Europe to play on four fronts.
With a place in the next round of the Europa League secured, United will add two more games to their schedule as they continue their quest for silverware.
Silverware is exactly what United have to offer on their next trip – a trip to Wembley to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
Eric ten Hag is keen to secure his 29th trophy and provide a stepping stone into what could be a very special 2023 for the club.