Mourinho: 'Top-four finish would be a miracle'

A 2-2 draw away to Southampton at the weekend means the 'Red Devils' currently sit seventh in the table eight points off the final Champions Legaue place following a dismal start to the season.

Mourinho's side last claimed victory in the league back on November 3 and host in-form Arsenal on Wednesday as they look to claw back some ground on the top four.

Speaking ahead of the goalless draw with Crystal Palace a little over a week ago Mourinho told the press that he was confident of guiding his side back into the top four before the end of December, but his latest comments to Brazilian TV channel 'RedeTV' seem to contradict those claims.

 "Try to win as many points as possible and try almost the miracle to end in fourth," he replied when asked about his aims following the draw at St Mary's.

"Last year, we said that getting in 2nd place was a fantastic thing due to the qualities we had compared to the qualities of the other teams fighting for the top four."

These latest comments have only seen Mourinho come in for further criticism for his off-field antics, having allegedly given midfielder Paul Pogba a verbal dressing-down following the draw on the south coast.