Top four 'gone' for Manchester United as Arsenal take control

LONDON: Ralf Rangnick admitted that Manchester United's hopes of Champions League football next season are over after Arsenal took control of the battle for a top-four finish in the Premier League with a 3-1 win at the Emirates.

Nuno Tavares, Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka struck for Mikel Arteta's men to move them three points clear of Tottenham, who face Brentford later on Saturday (Apr 23).

Sixth-placed United are six points adrift of the top four and could miss out on European football completely for only the second time since 1990.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 22nd goal of the season on his return to the United side after missing Tuesday's 4-0 thrashing at Liverpool due to the death of his newborn son.

However, Ronaldo will regret letting Bruno Fernandes take a second-half penalty with the game finely poised at 2-1 to the Gunners.

"For me even before that game it was not very likely, but after today's result the top four is gone," said United interim boss Rangnick.

The German described his side's display at Anfield as "humiliating" and "embarrassing".

United reacted to that defeat by formalising the appointment of Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag as the man to take charge at Old Trafford from next season.

However, the Dutchman will not have been impressed by another shambolic start from the side he will inherit.

It took just two minutes for the visitors' defence to be breached as David de Gea's fine save from Saka's initial effort counted for nothing as Tavares swept home the rebound.

There was another show of support for Ronaldo, just as at Anfield in midweek, as the entire stadium applauded during the seventh minute.

On the field, the Portuguese was receiving little help from his team-mates.

De Gea stood up well to parry a piledriver