Ralf Rangnick takes blame for failing to improve Man United's fortunes

Ralf Rangnick has accepted blame for Manchester United’s collapse this season by acknowledging he shouldn’t have expected a team spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo to adopt an energetic press.

Rangnick wanted to bring a high-octane game to Old Trafford when he replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November but was unable to find a successful Plan B when it became clear the current squad weren’t suited to that.

United have lost their last five away games and need to beat Crystal Palace today to be sure of finishing sixth and avoid dropping into the Europa Conference League next season when Erik ten Hag will be in charge. Rangnick admitted: ‘We never came near to that aggressive, pro-active football I’d normally want to do. It has to do with physicality if you want to play like that. I should have done better and developed this team in a more sustainable way.

‘I am not blaming Cristiano at all, he did great in games, but he is not a pressing monster. Even when he was young, he wasn’t shouting, “The other team has the ball, where can we win balls?”

‘It was the same with quite a few other players so we had to make compromises at one stage. We never found the right balance between what do we need with the ball and without the ball.’

Rangnick will be the Austrian national team manager next season but will retain a smaller role at United as a consultant.

Video: Guardiola: Man City will give everything in last game to secure title (Daily Mail)

Migrants wait to enter the US as end of Title 42 nears

Russia has declared victory! Azovstal Ukrainian fighters surrender

Zelensky: Azovstal fighters got signal to 'save their lives'

Sunderland fans take over Trafalgar Square ahead of play-off final

First Lady Jill Biden visits school in Panama