The Premier League didn't give Man United much option. Playing a game two days after the previous one is tough, then to ask them to do it again is nigh impossible. The way the fixtures landed, the best United could do was play their strongest team in the 1st and 3rd games.
Any other combo wouldn't of worked for them.
Anyway do I feel sorry for the victims .?Not a chance. In 2005 Uefa let them in through back door when they finished 5th in the league. At that time Liverpool were European champions, but Uefa hadn't countered on a club winning the CL and not being good enough to qualify through the league. Consequently they let them in by changing the rules. Liverpool had to play the 3 summertime qualifiers to progress to their usual entry stage, hence a game against Total Network Solutions.
So they have benefited in the past, I hope on this occasion they lose out.