Louis van Gaal conceded that Manchester United may need to win the Europa League to qualify for the Champions League after their 2-1 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday. Bidding to close the six-point gap separating them from the Champions League places, United fell behind in the third minute when Wahbi Khazri's free-kick from wide on the Sunderland left crept in.
Anthony Martial levelled before half-time, but an unfortunate 82nd-minute own goal by United goalkeeper David de Gea gifted Sunderland the points and increased the pressure on embattled United manager Van Gaal. "It will be very difficult now (to finish in the top four) because we give five points away, Chelsea and now," Van Gaal said, referencing last weekend's 1-1 draw at Chelsea. "It's too much at this time."
United face Danish side FC Midtjylland in the Europa League last 32 next week and Van Gaal agreed when it was put to him that his side's best chance of reaching the Champions League is to win the competition. Khazri had set up Jermain Defoe for a late equaliser in Sunderland's 2-2 draw at Liverpool and he made an early impression on his home debut with a free-kick that eluded everyone to nestle in the bottom-right corner.
Southampton crept past West Ham into sixth place on goal difference after extending their unbeaten run to six league games by winning 1-0 at Swansea City courtesy of Shane Long's 69th-minute header. Watford are now eighth after captain Troy Deeney scored twice in a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, who momentarily drew level through new signing Emmanuel Adebayor's header. Stoke are ninth following a 3-1 win at Bournemouth in which record £18.3 million ($26.4 million, 24.2 million euros) signing Giannelli Imbula opened the scoring with an instinctive ninth-minute volley from 25 yards.