If they had qualified for the Champions League, MU might be ahead of Barca in the standings.

English clubs' dominance in the third round of Champions League qualifying matches demonstrates Manchester United's increasingly clear position.

MU is starting to find stability again.

The third round of the 2025/26 Champions League classification saw the overwhelming dominance of English football, with five out of six representatives securing convincing victories. Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Chelsea all won (Tottenham drew 0-0 with Monaco), showcasing performances that highlighted a strong resurgence and squad depth.

5 out of 6 English teams won.

Man City continued to demonstrate the consistency typical of a European champion, comfortably defeating Villarreal 2-0 in Spain. Pep Guardiola's machine may not be as explosive as it was during its peak two seasons ago, but it remains cool-headed and effective.

At the same time, Arsenal thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in a spectacular performance at the Emirates – a match seen as confirmation that Mikel Arteta's team had matured and were ready to return to the group of title contenders.

Newcastle, once controversial for their unconvincing start to the Premier League, are now soaring in European competition. Their 3-0 victory over Jose Mourinho's Benfica not only secured their second consecutive Champions League win but also revived the image of a fast and powerful "Magpies." Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes shone brightly in Eddie Howe's pressing system – a sign that Newcastle have truly overcome their slump.

The ranking of the 36 teams in the qualifying round.

But the two victories that thrilled English fans the most belonged to Liverpool and Chelsea – teams that had previously been beaten by Manchester United in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool, after a run of four consecutive defeats in all competitions, bounced back in Frankfurt. Without Mohamed Salah in the starting lineup, Arne Slot's side still displayed powerful attacking football to come from behind and beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1.

The central defensive pairing of Van Dijk and Konate, along with new signing Florian Wirtz and striker Hugo Ekitz, all made their mark, demonstrating that Liverpool possesses the depth and resilience to overcome the crisis. Slot, despite being relatively new to Anfield, quickly instilled in the team a steely resolve and a strong fighting spirit after defeat.

In London, Chelsea continued to write a new chapter in their youth era. Against Ajax – a team that once dominated Europe with its renowned youth academy – "The Blues" won 5-1, in a brilliant night for their teenage players.

Marc Guiu, Estevao Willian, and Tyrique George scored, making Chelsea the first team in Champions League history to have three teenagers score in a single match. The second youngest team in English football history to ever compete in the Champions League not only won, but won with confidence and composure.

Try to position Manchester United in the Champions League.

Interestingly, both Liverpool and Chelsea have been defeated by Manchester United this season. Liverpool lost 1-2 at Anfield, while Chelsea suffered the same defeat last month. Although MU currently sit 9th in the Premier League, this result has led many to look back on Ruben Amorim's team with greater respect.

In fact, MU is facing a tough schedule in the first quarter of the season, having successively played against Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea - four of the five teams currently winning convincingly in Europe. Despite this, they still managed two wins against Liverpool and Chelsea, and also had dominant performances against Arsenal but lost due to bad luck.

A year ago, Amorim beat Guardiola in the Champions League.

Considering Manchester United's current form and the relative strength of English teams in the Champions League, there's reason to believe that if the "Red Devils" competed in this competition this season, they could easily earn 6-7 points – enough to finish in the top 8, above the current Barcelona. Of course, all comparisons are hypothetical, but that number still reflects a fact: Manchester United is gradually reviving.

After a turbulent summer, manager Ruben Amorim is showing a clearer tactical imprint, particularly in the pressing ability and organization of the midfield. Manchester United may not yet have reached the level of Man City or Arsenal, but they are getting back on track and becoming more difficult to beat than ever before.

In the overall picture of English football in the Champions League, the five brilliant victories in the third round are not just achievements, but also a message of overall strength. Two English clubs are in the top 8 and all six are in the top 16. And somewhere, even without participating, Manchester United still left an indirect mark, as a reminder that they are on their way back to the biggest stage in Europe - where they rightfully belong.

Source: https://znews.vn/neu-du-champions-league-mu-co-the-dang-xep-tren-barca-post1596170.html