Sluggish Manchester United eliminated from Champions League

"We didn't lose it today," United coach Erik ten Hag said following the Bayern Munich defeat. "We had some good performances [in the group], but we made some mistakes and in the end it's not good enough."

United's group, featuring Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray, was considered by many to be a favorable draw for the Red Devils. But poor defending left United with just four points from a possible 18, having conceded a whopping 15 goals in its six group-stage games.

United is in the midst of a strange and altogether confusing season. It's sixth in the Premier League, just six points behind crosstown rivals Manchester City, but its journey has been full of high highs and low lows. One week it's beating Chelsea 2-1, with fans declaring it a top-four contender; the next it's losing 3-0 to Bournemouth with fans calling for immediate change. The club appears trapped in the midst of an identity crisis driven by its organizational failures at the executive level.

If there's any benefit to United's early Champions League exit, it's that the lack of European fixtures will allow the club to focus its attention on the Premier League. With crucial fixtures against Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa looming in the Premier League — and an executive shake-up expected in the new year — the club, players and manager will need all the focus they can get to ensure their respective positions are safe.

United will return to take on Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend on Sunday, Dec. 17.