Man Utd 'staring two unwanted records in the face'

Manchester United are stuck between a rock and a hard place as their disappointing second season under Erik ten Hag nears a conclusion.

United failed to win for a sixth time in seven Premier League games at Bournemouth. They are now staring two unwanted records in the face.

Ten Hag needs to pick up nine points from the final six games to avoid overseeing the club's worst Premier League points tally - 58 in the 2021-22 season before his arrival.

With home fixtures against relegation-bound Burnley and Sheffield United on the horizon, he should avoid that piece of history. But United also need to look below, with hopes of Champions League qualification effectively over.

The Red Devils are now seventh and at serious risk of missing out on European football entirely. Slipping lower would be their worst Premier League finish (seventh in 2013-14, the season when David Moyes succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson).

United have another FA Cup semi-final to look forward to at Wembley on Sunday and victory over Coventry City would book a ticket to a second successive final.

But Louis van Gaal was not saved by lifting the famous trophy in 2016. Ten Hag might not be either if there is no rapid improvement in the Premier League.

Alex Turk can be found at Stretford Paddock