Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick admits Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked over concerns the team would fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

United have dropped 11 points from their last 24 and fallen to sixth in the Premier League, with West Ham still fourth while eighth-placed Tottenham and sixth-placed Arsenal each have two games in hand. Wolves have also entered the running and are now seventh following an impressive 2-0 win at Spurs.

“It has always been a concern since Ole left the club," Rangnick said of the possibility of United failing to qualify for the Champions League. “That was one of the reasons why he probably had to leave the club and of course, results like today's don't make things any easier.

“Against Villa, Burnley and today we were one or 2-0 up and gave away two points. This can happen once but it shouldn't happen three times and with those points the situation would be different but it's not. This is what we have to face.

“We have to realise the truth and obviously with results like today's it doesn't make it any easier to finish fourth at the end."