A point from dull goal-less draw confirms runners-up status for Red Devils in EPl
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho refused to criticise his side despite another display lacking inspiration in attacking areas as they sealed second place in the Premier league with a 0-0 draw at West Ham on Thursday.
In a game of precious few clear-cut chances, luke Shaw hit the post and Paul Pogba headed wide with United's best opening.
A third blank in their last five league games for United means local rivals Manchester City can seal another Premier league record by winning the league by at least 19 points if they win at Southampton on the last day of the season on Sunday.
"We are the second best team in the Premier league, a fantastic competition with lots of good teams," said Mourinho.
"We came second. I am not totally happy (because) that is not my nature, but since the moment we felt it was impossible to finish first, we had the target to finish second and it is done today." In United's first game since legendary former manager Alex Ferguson had to have emergency surgery on a brain haemorrhage, the visiting fans showed their support to the 76-year-old Scot with persist chants of "we all love Alex Ferguson".
There was a more subdued atmosphere from the home fans at the end of another deeply frustrating campaign for the Hammers.
Two years ago to the day, West Ham waved goodbye to Upton Park in a thrilling 3-2 win over United on a night of high emotion in East london.
That victory also helped secure European football, but the move to the london Stadium, sold to supporters as West Ham's chance to compete with the Premier league elite, has so far proved a false dawn.
Survival was only mathematically secured last weekend and West Ham remain in lowly 15th place.
"It's a big achievement for us," insisted West Ham manager David Moyes of keeping his side in the top flight. "We had to get the players in order a little bit after we came in, and we have done that. This is a big club and there are big expectations from the supporters so they will need to improve."
Mourinho reacted to Friday's meek 1-0 defeat at Brighton by making eight changes with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial relegated to the bench despite the continued absence of the injured Romelu lukaku.
However, that failed to provoke an immediate response as West Ham posed the early threat.
Marko Arnautovic's goals have kept Moyes's men up and the Austrian muscled his way into a good shooting position on six minutes but placed his shot too close to David de Gea.
Adrian has been restored in the West Ham goal for the past three games in place of England international Joe Hart, and showed why with a hat-trick of fine saves.
Jesse lingard was first to be denied with a fiercely struck long-range effort before Adrian showed quick reflexes to save from Alexis Sanchez and then get back on his feet to turn Shaw's effort onto the post.
A lacklustre United display was reflected in Pogba again failing to take control of the game.
The 89 million midfielder did have the visitors' best chance when he headed wide just after the hour mark from Antonio Valencia's pin-point cross.
The Frenchman came a lot closer moments later with a strike that curled just past the post from a narrow angle.
Pogba's frustration then spilled over when he was lucky to escape with just a yellow card after grappling with West Ham captain Mark Noble as tempers flared in the latter stages.
Wenger predicts ESl
Arsene Wenger predicts a European super league will be introduced over the next few years, leading to major changes for the Premier league.
The outgoing Arsenal boss believes Europe's elite clubs will fight for the introduction of a continental, weekend league to challenge the success of the English top flight. Wenger, 68, will leave the Emirates Stadium after a reign lasting almost 22 years when the season ends away to Huddersfield on Sunday.
But the Frenchman is predicting a huge overhaul of football in the near future, with Premier league fixtures relegated to midweek slots.
"The next evolutionIJ Maybe I will see you in a few years and you will certainly have a European league over the weekends," he said.
"A domestic league will certainly play Tuesday/Wednesday. I think that is the next step we will see." Wenger said the move was "inevitable" because the big clubs would want a bigger slice of the money that comes into football and would be less willing to share it with their smaller rivals.