United back in Champions League after routing Chelsea

Manchester United will be back in action in next season’s Champions League after they hammered Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes (penalty) and Marcus Rashford scored for United, who needed a point from their final two league games to officially end Liverpool’s fading hopes of securing a spot in Europe’s premier club competition.

Three-time European champions United, who failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, are third on 72 points with one game remaining, six points clear of fifth-place Liverpool.

Fourth-place Newcastle secured a spot among Europe’s elite following a goalless draw against Leicester City on Monday. Chelsea, who have struggled all season, are 12th with 43 points.

Erik Ten Hag’s side are unbeaten in Premier League action at Old Trafford for 17 games, going back to the opening weekend of the season.

Casemiro scored in the sixth minute with a close-range header off a long free kick. The Brazilian helped set up Martial’s goal just before half-time with a no-look chip into the path of Jadon Sancho. Martial was there to slot the ball into the empty net.

Interim manager Frank Lampard’s Chelsea side collapsed in the dying minutes. After Fernandes had made it 3-0 with a penalty in the 73rd minute, Rashford returned from a two-game absence to score his 30th goal of the season, cutting the ball around keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Despite the jubilation of clinching a spot in the top four, a first-half injury to winger Antony will be a concern for Ten Hag ahead of the FA Cup final with Manchester City next week. United are already without Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer for that match.

Joao Felix pulled one back for the visitors in the 89th minute, but the game was as far out of reach as is their season, with Chelsea set to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time since 1995-96.