Rangnick: 'We could have been fourth already'

Ahead of a key clash at Anfield against title-chasing Liverpool, interim Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick says missed opportunities and dropped points have hampered his club's ability to secure a top-four place and Champions League for next season.

"We've had far too many games when we were one or two up, and in the end only got a point," Rangnick told Sky Sport's Melissa Reddy. "So we dropped, I would say eight, if not 10 points in games where we were ahead and didn't win at the end."

United currently sits fifth in the table on 54 points, three points behind Tottenham Hotspur for the final Champions League place. Arsenal sits in sixth, also on 54, but with a game in hand on both United and Spurs.

Rangnick believes a lack of defensive midfield presence is one of the reasons why the Red Devils have failed to see games out.

"We have a lot of offensive players, who should normally play," Rangnick said. "But at the same time, we didn't have the same number of defensive, for example, midfield players. Fred and Scott McTominay are missing. We don't have many other defensive midfielders and that has been a problem in the past, and that's why we didn't see those games out after being one or two up."

Rangnick offered praise for Tuesday's opponents and credits Liverpool's success to its squad sharing the ethos of manager Jurgen Klopp.

"With Liverpool, it's clear why they are playing as aggressive as they do - it's since Jurgen arrived," Rangnick said. "If you compare the squad that he inherited six years ago and compare it with the present, I think there are maybe four or five players still there. All the others signed since then have been signed exactly under those premises: how do we want to play? They have to be able and