West Ham defeat reminds Manchester United of priorities ahead of FA Cup final

The only two times Manchester United have lost back-to-back league games this season have been after falling to defeat to Brighton.

The opening-day loss was followed by an abysmal 4-0 defeat away at Brentford while the 1-0 downing by West Ham on Sunday was grim. Both double-whammies brought pressure for Erik ten Hag, whose debut season will be defined by the next four weeks.

His main aim for the season was getting into the Champions League. The League Cup was a much-welcome bonus, ending a near six-year wait for a trophy at Old Trafford.

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That win in the final over Newcastle as well as the scalps over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have seen Ten Hag earn trust, while the Europa League triumph over Barcelona elevated his respect to a new level.

But while memories have been made, the failure to secure a place in the Champions League would come as a big blow. Ten Hag outlined the importance of qualifying for the competition when he hinted last week that there already had been increased transfer interest in the club.

United have been in the top four for the majority of the campaign but there is a risk that they could finish outside of it. The recent defeats to Brighton and West Ham mean they sit only a point above the resurgent Liverpool, albeit have a game in hand.

The Reds have four Premier League games remaining and three wins would guarantee their Champions League spot. All the teams they are due to face are found in the middle of the table, not in relegation danger but too far away from Europe.

This is not the case for their rivals and does give United an advantage, although as Fulham evidenced in their 5-3 win over Leicester, it is