Sunday 14 February 2016 13:00, UK
Louis van Gaal suggested a top-four finish would constitute an adequate season in the build-up to Manchester United's trip to Sunderland, but even the bare minimum is starting to look beyond him now.
United's 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light was their seventh of the Premier League campaign and keeps them six points off the Champions League places - a margin that could be extended if Manchester City avoid defeat to Tottenham on Super Sunday.
The statistics make grim reading for Van Gaal. United's tally of 41 points from 26 games is their lowest of the Premier League era, and their total of 33 goals scored is also a new low. Despite spending a staggering £250m on new players since Van Gaal's appointment, United are worse off than at the same stage under David Moyes.
The latest setback is all the more frustrating for United because there had been signs of progress in their 3-0 win over Stoke and last Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea. But consistency has eluded them throughout the season and it took less than three minutes for Sunderland to strike the first blow at the Stadium of Light.
Wahbi Khazri's free kick was poorly struck but the visitors failed to clear and David De Gea couldn't prevent it from creeping into the far corner. United didn't muster a single shot on goal until the 31st minute, but Anthony Martial pulled them level with a clever piece of improvisation before the break.
Martial's equaliser gave United something to build on, but they started the second half poorly, with Sunderland going close through Jermain Defoe and Dame N'Doye. United struggled to create clear chances in response, and they were undone by another set piece eight minutes from time as Lamine Kone's header squirmed under David De Gea.
It was Sunderland's first home win over United since 1997, and, even more damningly for the Red Devils, the hosts' total of 21 shots was the most they have mustered against any side all season.
The stats highlight the scale of the task now facing Van Gaal's men to finish in the top four. Over the last five seasons, the teams finishing fourth have averaged over 70 points. United are 29 points short with just 12 games to play, so to reach that threshold they would need to raise their average points per game from 1.58 to 2.42.
Such a turnaround looks beyond this United team, and Van Gaal admits winning the Europa League is now their best hope. "It will be very difficult," he conceded. "It is still possible, but it is very difficult. The way with the Europa League is easier, I think, but also not so easy because there also you have a fantastic European level in that cup, so you have to fight for it.
"You can easily say ' okay, the other way' - but also you have to show your capacity, in every match, you have to show it and we didn't do that today. Today it was very disappointing because we needed to win this game because of the big gap between the top four. We want to be there and now it will be very difficult."
Van Gaal's long-term future at United looks bleaker than ever, but whoever occupies the hot seat next season might have to prepare themselves for another season without Champions League football...
