Wayne Rooney admits Manchester United's hopes of finishing in the Barclays Premier League's top four are slim after their defeat at Sunderland on Saturday.
Louis van Gaal's side lost when David de Gea conceded an own goal from Lamine Kone’s header in the closing stages after Anthony Martial had cancelled out Wahbi Khazri's opener.
United's tally of 41 points is their worst after 26 matches in Barclays Premier League history and they are six points adrift of the UEFA Champions League places, a gap that could grow when Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Rooney suggested winning the UEFA Europa League could be his side's best hope of qualifying for Europe's top competition next season.
"We didn't create enough chances, we were not aggressive enough and didn't defend set-pieces - it is a disappointing result," he told BT Sport. "We didn't play well. We know that we didn't win enough second balls. It has cost us and it is not good enough.
"We have to somehow move on. You don't know how this league works at times but we know it will be hard to finish top four now.
"Winning the Europa League gets you into the Champions League but that is a long way away. It is a competition we didn't want to be in but we are in it now and want to win it. We have to try and start again on Thursday."
The win for Sunderland was their first in the Barclays Premier League against United at the Stadium of Light. That it was a deserved victory was backed up their 21 attempted shots (including those blocked), their most in the Barclays Premier League this season.
Khazri has had a hand in two goals in his first two Barclays Premier League starts (one goal, one assist). It was also the Tunisian’s corner that led to the winner.
Martial's goal was the United forward's 10th in all competitions, and his quick acclimatisation to life at Old Trafford is demonstrated by the fact that he has been involved in 15 goals this season in all competitions. Only Rooney has been involved in more for United.
But the defeat means that United have won none of the last seven BPL matches where they have conceded the first goal (D1 L6) and have collected only six points from their last seven BPL away matches (W1 D3 L3).
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