Man Utd 'set new PL target' for next season after slipping to 16th in the table

Manchester United have reportedly set their sights on a top-six finish next season, despite being on course for their worst league finish in over 50 years.

With just two games to go in the current Premier League season, United sit down in 16th and are yet to reach the magical 40-point mark, a tally that most clubs battling relegation aim for at the start of the campaign.

The Red Devils' defeat to West Ham on Sunday afternoon was their 17th league defeat of the campaign, the most they have notched up since the club were relegated back in 1974.

Nine of those losses have come at Old Trafford, including the 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Hammers, which is a joint club record. The last time United lost that many home games in a single campaign was 62 years ago.

Ruben Amorim's side are now seven league matches without a win, and although reaching the Europa League final provided a much-needed distraction, United's domestic troubles are worse than they have ever been in the Premier League era.

Despite all this, according to the Manchester Evening News, the United hierarchy have set a target for Amorim and his players next season.

However, whether the Portuguese coach will even be at the club come August has been thrown into question following comments he made after he watched United lose their 13th league match under his stewardship.

'It's not the player's fault. It's my fault, I'm responsible. If we cannot change that really fast, we should give our place to different people,' said Amorim.

United have plummeted to depths of despair that seemed unimaginable even 12 months ago, back when Erik ten Hag was under pressure for a lowly eighth place finish.

This season, it remains feasible that the Red Devils could finish as low as 17th, with only the three promoted clubs finishing below them. The worst of the rest.

Since arriving in November, Amorim has only racked up six wins from 25 matches in the Premier League. Three of those came against Southampton, Leicester, and Ipswich, who have all been relegated.

In Europe, it's a different ball game. United have gone the whole Europa League season unbeaten and are set to take on fellow domestic-strugglers Tottenham in the competition's showpiece in Bilbao next week. The winner will qualify for the Champions League.

The final is the last thing on Amorim's mind, however. His concerns seem solely targeted at changing the club's fortunes in the Premier League.

'To be honest with you, I'm not concerned about the final,' Amorim continued. 'It's by far the smallest problem in our club. We need to change something that is deeper than this.

'We are showing that in the end of this season that we are not... Playing in the Premier League and Champions League for us is the moon. So we need to know that.

'I'm not concerned about the final. They will be focused and I don't know what is best, if it's playing in Champions League or not. So let's think about Chelsea to improve a lot of things.'

No matter how many points United pick up from their final two games, which are against Champions League chasers Chelsea and Aston Villa, the club will record their worst league finish since they dropped down to the second tier in 1974.

To finish in the top six this season, it is possible that the clubs in the running, such as Villa and the Blues, will need 69 points.

The Red Devils currently only have 39 points to their name, which means they will need to dramatically improve to hit their supposed target next term.