Spain, England lead with 3 each in Champions League last 16

It is not the first time that United have dropped out in the group stages of the competition – they suffered the same fate under Sir Alex Ferguson during the 2011/12 season.

Rio Ferdinand has lambasted Manchester United’s Champions League exit as “embarrassing” and suggested the players will not want to leave their houses.

-Of all United managers, only Lal Hilditch in 1926-27 (14.3%) has drawn a higher proportion of league games 0-0 than Louis van Gaal (13.2% – 7/53).

United suffered an embarrassingly early exit from the Champions League on Tuesday night when they lost 3-2 at Wolfsburg and subsequently trailed in third behind the German side and Eredivisie outfit PSV Eindhoven.

“If you’re out of a competition, you’re going to get critics, they’re going to start saying stuff”. They’re going to start saying stuff.

“We just need to stay positive”.

“For sure Manchester United will feel very disappointed after last night because they had the possibility to go into the next round”, Pochettino said on Wednesday.

Bastian Schweinsteiger could also be forced to miss the game through suspension should the FA issue a ban relating to a charge of violent conduct following the West Ham draw.

Full-backs Cameron Borthwick-Johnson and Guillermo Varela, who made only their second senior appearances for United against Wolfsburg, could both start, along with 20-year-old centre-back Paddy McNair.

Van Gaal did not sound optimistic about the chances of Smalling or Darmian being fit for the trip to the south coast when he spoke after Tuesday’s game.

Captain Wayne Rooney (ankle), Morgan Schneiderlin (hip), Ander Herrera (hamstring) and Phil Jones (foot) are all doubts to face Bournemouth, while Luke Shaw (leg), Antonio Valencia (ankle) and Marcos Rojo (shoulder) are out.

“The facts say we are better than previous year”. United’s defence left a lot to be desired after they allowed the Bundesliga team to score the victor immediately after they had been handed a lifeline through an own goal from Josuha Guilavogui.

Ryan Mason and Alex Pritchard are also missing with ankle injuries while Pochettino may take the chance to rest players ahead of Sunday’s home game against Newcastle. For a club like United doing that, it surprises me.