Man Utd top-four hopes rocked

Even sat in the away dressing room, Manchester United’s players would not have been able to escape the sounds of West Ham’s celebrations.

There, in the depths of the soon-to-be demolished Boleyn Ground, the visiting players were left to contemplate how they had let Champions League qualification slip from their grasp, as fireworks crackled outside.   

With 14 minutes to play, Anthony Martial had given Manchester United a 2-1 lead. Victory would have moved Louis van Gaal’s side back into the top four for the first time since mid-December. They would only have needed to match Manchester City’s result at Swansea in their season finale at home to Bournemouth – a team who have only managed to beat rock-bottom Aston Villa in their past seven matches.  

Yet, two expert deliveries from Dimitri Payet – combined with two clinically accurate headers from Michail Antonio and Winston Reid – turned the game on its head, and left Manchester United needing a favour from Francesco Guidolin’s Swansea on Sunday.

Afterwards, Van Gaal conceded to Sky Sports the defeat was a mental blow to his players. As much as he argued Swansea’s case and pointed out Champions League …

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