Are you forgetting that Ushited also won the champions league in 1999 after coming runners-up in the league the season before to Arsenal? So that argument is rubbish!! And, for the record I agree that only champions should enter the champions league, but times have changed. Anyway, soon the cycle will change and the mighty reds will march on to titles 19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26 and 27 by 2020!!
