Erik ten Hag insists Manchester United still have plenty to play for this season, despite being knocked out of Europe before Christmas.
United went into Tuesday night’s final round of Champions League fixtures needing a minor miracle to reach the last-16, but a 1-0 defeat at home to Bayern Munich ensured they finish bottom of Group A and therefore do not even get the consolation of dropping into the Europa League in the New Year.
Ten Hag’s side are already out of the Carabao Cup and trail fourth-placed Manchester City by six points following last weekend’s dismal defeat against Bournemouth. The Dutchman, who will come under increased pressure following his team’s European exit, however, insists the campaign remains salvageable.
“There’s still many things to play for,” he said. "We can focus on the Premier League and this is the level we want to play at [next season] so we have to give every effort to be in the top four. Hopefully, next year we are back in the Champions League and we have the FA Cup, so still many things to play for.”
While their Champions League fate was always out of their control, United knew victory over Bayern would guarantee some form of European knockout football.
While they frustrated the Bundesliga giants with relative ease for 70 minutes until Kinglsey Coman’s winner, however, United managed only one shot on target all night, a long-range effort from Luke Shaw.
“The game was like this,” Ten Hag said. “Both sides had less chances, there was good intensity in the game and we brought Bayern out of their rhythm.
“Defensive and pressing organisation, I think we did quite well, especially in the first part of the second-half where we had good ball high up the pitch but we didn’t take the benefit. In that spell of the game, we had a very good chance with Bruno Fernandes. We had our moments but we didn’t take them.”
With just four points from their six matches, the campaign represents United’s worst group stage showing in the Champions League, with Ten Hag ultimately paying the price for leads squandered against both Copenhagen and Galatasaray.
“I look to my team and we had, I think, the opportunities in games where we were in winning positions,” he added. “We scored many goals but then also you have to see we gave it away sometimes by individual errors - by not one player but by more players, not every time the same - they give the opponent opportunities to turn.
“We also had very good spells in games but we have to do better. The facts are we do not have enough points, we are disappointed as a group, as a manager, I am disappointed. We should have done better.”
