Will European football obstruct Man Utd?

[Getty Images] Last season, Manchester United played just 40 matches in all competitions, their fewest in a single campaign since 1914-15, and finished third. Chelsea played 59 matches in all competitions and finished 10th. Tottenham played 52 matches in all competitions and avoided relegation on the final day, finishing 17th. Playing more matches does not always correlate with a lower league finish. Arsenal , for instance, won the Premier League title last season while reaching both the Champions League and Carabao Cup finals. But fewer matches in other competitions does mean a team can rotate less, often have a full week of preparation between games and be less susceptible to injuries. Spurs had a staggering 27 different players sidelined at some point last season. Next season Chelsea and Tottenham are not playing European football whereas Manchester United and eight other Premier League clubs are. United have responded by targeting midfielders in the transfer market, having bought Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectfully. But will those two additions be enough to cover the club's increased workload? Read more on Premier League title challengers