The Reds Devils were never going to challenge for the title according to their manager, as his side hope to still qualify for the Champions League next season

Louis van Gaal has declared it was unrealistic for Manchester United's fans to expect his side to be Premier League champions this season, though he is still hoping to seal an unlikely Champions League place.

As the 2016-17 campaign reaches its conclusion on Sunday, United are fifth in the standings and a remarkable 17 points adrift of unlikely champions Leicester City.

United's faint Champions League qualification hopes rest squarely on fourth-placed Manchester City, who must lose to Swansea City, if Van Gaal's men are to contend for a place in Europe's elite club competition.

But Van Gaal - facing an uncertain future amid constant speculation linking Jose Mourinho to Old Trafford - insisted their campaign cannot be deemed a total failure, even though it was always unlikely that United would win the league.

"We can win the FA Cup. How many are still in the race? How many? Of course, when we don't qualify ourselves [for the top four] then we don't reach our aim," he told reporters.

"That is true, because our aim was to qualify, but we are in the final of the FA Cup and we are in the race [for fourth] going into the last match, so mathematically we can qualify still.

"How many teams can say that? Not many. Of course you can say Manchester United need to be champions. Yes, I know the expectations are like that, but I don't think that is realistic."

United host AFC Bournemouth in their final game of the Premier League season on Sunday, before facing Crystal Palace in the FA Cup decider on May 21.