Europa League football now presents the greatest chance of a successful season for Manchester United. Oh how the mighty have fallen. What more could represent the failings of Jose Mourinho throughout his first year at the club?

Hull City, yes the relegation battling team, have been the greatest stumbling block for United of late. Challenging them in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final and snatching the most unlikely of draws at Old Trafford on Thursday, Marco Silva has quickly proven his credentials as a Premier League boss. And, in the process, he has brought a crippling end to Manchester United’s momentum that looked to be building into a late title charge.

Shut out at home as they were infamously by Burnley earlier in the season, a furious Mourinho lost his temper after the match and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s greatest contribution was a rather elaborate dive. Poor finishing has been an issue throughout the season, but it has gone beyond a simple gripe, it is now a reccurring theme and the inability to put chances away has severely undermined Manchester United’s chances of a top four finish.

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That draw has seen Mourinho’s team close their gap to the top four to four points. In a week when Liverpool played Chelsea and both the North London clubs dropped points, that is a poor outcome. This weekend, one of Arsenal or Chelsea will certainly drop points, but it is a representation of their ambitions this season that Manchester United would prefer that to be Arsenal. The current gap is far from unassailable, yet the return of European football makes it a real challenge for Mourinho to drag his side into the top four. His actions after the Hull match are a clear reminder of that, too.

With Champions League qualification through the league looking unlikely, the Europa League could save United’s season. A competition that Mourinho has patronised and bemoaned throughout his managerial career could yet be the one that makes his opening campaign at Old Trafford an acceptable one.

Now that a Champions League place is offered to the victor, the Europa League has become a feasible route to the big time for clubs like Manchester United. Challenging ties will take care and attention from Mourinho, but with the squad at his disposal the competition is extremely winnable. After all, if they cannot make a good run in the Europa then there is little to no point in qualifying for the Champions League next season anyway.

Although a long run in the Europa will be arduous, the chances of lifting the trophy are currently – at the very least – equal to the chances of finishing in the top four. United have the star quality to win individual matches throughout a cup run, but they have shown that their attack is too easily restricted to produce a consistent run in the league. Despite increasing their unbeaten streak, recent draws with Stoke and Hull have undermined any 2017 progress.

A competition Manchester United may feel they are too big for has become the best chance of making this a passable season. Make of that what you will.

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