Ralf Rangnick: Top four not deserved with current Manchester United displays

Ralf Rangnick admitted Manchester United do not deserve to finish in the Champions League spots if their performance levels for the rest of the season are similar to what they showed at Everton.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford were among six changes to United's line-up at Goodison Park and the latter threatened twice early on, denied on both occasions by England team-mate Jordan Pickford.

But the momentum swung dramatically in Everton's favour when Anthony Gordon opened the scoring with a deflected 27th-minute strike, which proved decisive as the struggling Toffees secured a 1-0 victory.

United's ambition of finishing in the Premier League top-four is receding and Rangnick was left to bemoan a toothless attacking display against an Everton side that lost 3-2 at relegation rivals Burnley in midweek.

"Whenever we score the first goal, we had enough confidence and we won most of those games," Rangnick said.

"But when you concede the first goal, we lost a little bit of our composure and maybe confidence.

"With all respect to Everton because they have a good team, but if you don't score against a team who conceded three goals against Burnley in the end you cannot expect to get anything out of it.

"The players themselves should be eager to play international football, if possible Champions League.

"But if we play like we did here we just don't deserve it. In order to qualify for Europe you have to be able to score in 95 minutes in a game like this."

Rashford, who has now scored just five times in 28 appearances in all competitions this season, was lively early on, but Ronaldo was largely kept subdued and while he had an opportunity to equalise in added time the Portuguese's half-volley was kept out by the magnificent Pickford.

Ran