Man Utd ensure Liverpool disadvantage on night Champions League race turned ugly

If they have to hand out bonuses for a top four finish, Leicester City should throw a few quid the way of the protesters who were cavorting on this pitch a week last Sunday.

Because the knock-on effect of the postponement of Manchester United’s match against Liverpool was that Brendan Rodgers’ team only had to beat a reserve side to take a big stride towards Champions League qualification.

And if they do secure that Champions League qualification, it could be at the expense of, amongst others, Liverpool.

Being diplomatic, that is ironic, to say the least.

Liverpool did nothing other than endure a wasted day when they were scheduled to face United and the upshot was that Solskjaer fields a second string eleven against Leicester and will, almost certainly, send a first team out against Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Solskjaer is right to say he had little choice but if Klopp and David Moyes want to discuss the integrity of competition, they would be quite within their rights.

Soyuncu's winner at Old Trafford gives Leicester a huge boost (PA)

This occasion has certainly influenced the squabble for those final Champions League places.

But after their poor displays at ten-man Southampton and at home against Newcastle United, this was just the fillip Rodgers needed.

And while they made heavy weather of it at times, at least they got the job done.

And if they do go on and secure a place at Europe’s top table for next season, it will still be a significant achievement.

The United boss made his decision - and stands by it (Pool via REUTERS)

All season, Rodgers and his squad have shown a fair degree of resilience in coming through sticky spells.

Just as Caglar Soyuncu showed a fair degree of resilience here.

He had a shocker in the hammering by Newcastle and things did not get much better for him in the first half of this match as Mason Greenwood went past him as though he was a training cone before cancelling out Luke Thomas’s opener.

But his headed winner was a thing of beauty.

Not for West Ham and not for Liverpool, though.

This was the night the race for the Champions League places got a little bit ugly.

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