Manchester United Draws Late With Brighton, Champions League Hopes Dwindle

Manchester United only managed to salvage a late draw against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League on Saturday, as their Champions League hopes continued to drift out of reach.

The Red Devils have won just once in their last five games, and rivals Arsenal need just one last result in their four remaining games to knock them out of the race.

It took a 94th-minute equaliser from Manchester United’s Lea Schuller to salvage a point for Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village, but it’s another result that fails to deliver what Marc Skinner’s side needs.

The Red Devils have only one league game remaining in 2025/26, against Chelsea, and are a point behind third-placed Arsenal, who have three games in hand, and three points behind the second-placed Blues, who have two games left.

It would take a miracle now for Marc Skinner and Manchester United to achieve Champions League qualification – either Arsenal must slip up in all four of their remaining games, or Chelsea lose their final two.

Meanwhile, Manchester City’s qualification has already been wrapped up, with the Cityzens top of the table on 49 points, heading into their final two games.

Brighton will have been disappointed not to take all three points away from United on Saturday, missing a chance worth a whopping 0.82xG in the 67th minute of the game, which could have all but secured the three points and avoided the late drama that eventually ensued.

The Seagulls were no easy opponents, themselves beating table-toppers Manchester City in recent weeks, as well as knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup.

Failure to beat Chelsea on May 16 would confirm Manchester United missing out on Champions League qualification – something that would be damning for a club with such high ambitions.

Their fate could be decided sooner, though, with Arsenal and Chelsea playing games beforehand.

Marc Skinner may be a man under pressure in the Manchester United hotseat, after a season that looks set to end on an underwhelming note.