Jose Mourinho: Arsenal have made top four 'impossible' for Manchester United

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Tom Doyle7 May 2017

Jose Mourinho admits Manchester United's Champions League qualification hopes rest on winning the Europa League after branding a Premier League top-four finish "impossible."

United went into Sunday's clash against top-six rivals Arsenal boosted by Liverpool's home draw against Southampton earlier in the day, but goals from Granit Xhaka and Danny Welbeck secured a 2-0 win for Arsene Wenger's Gunners.

United now sit four points behind City and five adrift of Liverpool, with only one game in hand over Jurgen Klopp's men, and a tricky trip to Tottenham to come next weekend.

It means their chances of sneaking into the top four would appear increasingly remote.

"It's impossible," Mourinho said. "For two reasons: I don't think the other ones playing one match a week and being in a great situation, I don't think they are going to blow it.

"And because we go with everything on Thursday and we cannot go with everything against Tottenham.

"When you go with everything against Tottenham it's difficult. When you don't go with everything it's more difficult.

"Two days later Southampton, two days later Crystal Palace.

"This is too much for us so I don't think we have any chance of finishing top four in the Premier League.

"We have to chase Champions League by trying to win the Europa League."

United hold a 1-0 semi-final first-leg lead over Celta Vigo heading into Thursday's return leg at Old Trafford, with Ajax the likely opponents in the Final given their commanding 4-1 aggregate lead over Lyon.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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