Spurs put huge dent in Reds’ top four bid

MANCHESTER United are being left to play catch–up in the race for Champions League qualification as a crushing 3-0 defeat at second-placed Tottenham sees them trail Manchester City by four points with six games remaining.

Three goals in six minutes from Dele Alli, Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela sealed the win at White Hart Lane and Spurs must now hope Leicester capitulate with six games left to play.

Tottenham’s progress under Mauricio Pochettino has been one of the stories of the season, but it could easily have been Louis van Gaal sitting in the home dugout given the Dutchman was chairman Daniel Levy’s first choice to take over in the summer of 2014.

Asked if he regretted his decision to overlook the job in North London, Van Gaal said: “In the balance, we are still ahead. The challenge is always bigger at a bigger club.

“I like also to sign for Tottenham. Daniel Levy knows that. But the challenge was bigger at Manchester United and shall always be bigger. I am sorry for Tottenham, but Manchester United will always be the bigger club.”

This was the eighth consecutive match United have failed to score more than one goal, and while Wayne Rooney is to continue his recovery from a knee injury with the club’s under–21s tonight, Van Gaal was cautious about the striker’s sharpness.

“He shall play 60 minutes. We will see how he is doing. Of course he is a great striker, but he has to show already if he is in certain shape. It is always like that.”