Mark Goldbridge: Manchester United don’t belong’ there after watching Arsenal vs Bayern Munich and Man City vs Real Madrid
Mark Goldbridge: Manchester United ‘miles off’ Champions League and ‘don’t belong’ there after watching Arsenal vs Bayern Munich and Man City vs Real Madrid glamour ties
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Mark Goldbridge: Manchester United ‘miles off’ Champions League and ‘don’t belong’ there after watching Arsenal vs Bayern Munich and Man City vs Real Madrid glamour ties
Joe Moore, Assistant Editor
Published: 11:58, 12 Apr 2024Updated: 11:58, 12 Apr 2024
Manchester United are nowhere near competing with the European elite and ‘don’t belong’ in the Champions League this or even next season.
That’s according to Mark Goldbridge, after Red Devils fans watched on with envy as Arsenal and Manchester City took on Bayern Munich and Real Madrid this week.
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United have endured another tough campaign and are not ready to compete with Europe’s elite clubs, says Goldbridge
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United have endured another tough campaign and are not ready to compete with Europe’s elite clubs, says GoldbridgeCredit: Getty
The Premier League title contenders took the fight to both European giants, with the Gunners drawing 2-2 with Bayern and City drawing 3-3 with Real in two pulsating quarter-final showdowns.
The matches showed how far Mikel Arteta’s side have come in recent years, while Pep Guardiola’s men again proved why they’re considered one of the favourites to lift the ol’ Big Ears for the second season running.
But they also served as a crippling reminder to United fans of how far their team has fallen, having been dumped out of the group stages in last place earlier in the campaign.
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But while some of the Old Trafford faithful would have been wishing it was their side taking on the greats from Germany or Spain, Goldbridge thought differently.
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Comparing it to him playing darts against teenage sensation Luke Littler, the YouTube host admitted United would be absolutely outclassed if they were in the knockout stages and admitted they are exactly where they deserve to be.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Goldbridge said: “Normally I would be jealous of it, when I was watching the games I heard a few people saying, ‘I wish United were there’, but I genuinely don’t.
“We’re not equipped to be there. You can’t just be there, you’ve got to deliver. If you threw me into a darts tournament I wouldn’t be saying, ‘Oh, it’s nice to be here’, I would look absolutely rubbish and I’d be embarrassed by Luke Littler.
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“I think United are miles off, but I’m comfortable with us not being there.
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Arsenal came from behind to seal a 2-2 draw against Bayern and leave it all to play for in the second leg
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Arsenal came from behind to seal a 2-2 draw against Bayern and leave it all to play for in the second legCredit: Getty
City battled to a thrilling 3-3 draw with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, with Phil Foden scoring a worldie
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City battled to a thrilling 3-3 draw with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, with Phil Foden scoring a worldieCredit: Getty
“I want us to be there, and we WERE there, but we got knocked out in the group stages because we weren’t good enough.”
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While other United supporters might react to their poor season by calling for the head of manager Erik ten Hag, Goldbridge insists sticking with the Dutchman is the only way to get back to the heights sooner rather than later.
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“I think United, for the first time ever, need to be patient and that’s why I want to stick with Ten Hag and see it through a third year,” he said.
“Starting again means you start again, which means you’re further away from being a Champions League club.
“We’ve been a Champions League club over the last ten years and we’ve never been a good fit for it. For the previous 20 years it was what we were all about, and I want us to get back there.”
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The new UEFA coefficient rules mean fifth place could turn into an additional Champions League slot, if Arsenal and City go far into this year’s competition and Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa also enjoy success in the Europa and Conference League competitions.
However, United currently sit in sixth place, a full 11 points adrift of Aston Villa who currently occupy that fifth spot.
And Goldbridge says Ten Hag and the United hierarchy should look to Arsenal and how they rebuilt their team to become genuine challengers for major honours after years roaming the wasteland.
“We don’t belong in the Champions League at the moment and we don’t belong there next season either, not if we can’t even get in the top-five of the Premier League,” he added.
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“Man United need to do a lot of work around the structure, there’s something not right there and, it surprises me that I’m saying it, but we don’t deserve to be ther
e and I don’t miss us being there because I want us to be there when we can hold our own.
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