“His final ball was awful” - Gary Lineker and Ian Wright slam Manchester United star after 1-0 defeat to Arsenal

Football pundits Gary Lineker and Ian Wright slammed Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho for his wastefulness in front of goal as Arsenal beat the Red Devils 1-0 on Sunday.

Leandro Trossard scored the only goal of the game as the Gunners climbed back to the top of the Premier League table ahead of their final game of the season, and kept the pressure on holders Manchester City.

Having beaten United at home, Arsenal were looking to complete their first league double over the side in 17 years and achieved that fairly comfortably. Erik ten Hag's side were second-best for much of the clash and mustered only two shots on target despite possessing 55% of the ball.

Garnacho, who started on the left side of their attack, saw a few openings but wasn't clinical enough to make Arsenal pay for it. His first touches often left him down, and the youngster flattered to deceive big time.

Ian Wright, former Arsenal and Crystal Palace star, felt it may have been head coach Mikel Arteta's plot to compel United to play through him. Speaking on Wrighty's House podcast:

"We were watching Garnacho and you know the way Mikel and the guys really are meticulous in their preparation in what they’re doing… it seemed very strange for me that Garnacho is going to be the one is their saviour. He’s the one that’s gonna change things for Manchester United.

"But some of his decisions… thinking back now, I’m thinking: I wonder if Arsenal made that happen so it could go to him. I look at Garnacho and he’s a match-winner, he does great things, he’s a brilliant individual. But his team play and appreciation of others for a one-two or to play a ball, it’s almost non-existent in what he’s doing."

Lineker, a fellow pundit, echoed the sentiment on The Rest Is Football podcast, as the former England star said:

"Garnacho was a threat but his final ball was awful for the entire match I thought. But he is dangerous and all it needed was one where he cuts in and he could conceivably bend one in the top corner and then all of a sudden the title race is pretty much done really."

With a second consecutive loss, and 14th of their league campaign, Manchester United remained in eighth position with only 54 points from 36 games.

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Manchester United to miss out on European football for the first time in 10 years

Following their latest defeat, Manchester United are on the brink of missing out on European football altogether for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Back then, the Red Devils were genuinely struggling under Sir Alex Ferguson's successor David Moyes, who got sacked towards the end of their season. United could only achieve a seventh-place finish, and thereby failed to qualify for either the Champions League or the Europa League.

History is about to repeat itself this year, as United languish in eighth position of the Premier League table with only two games remaining.

Although they are only three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United (and also Chelsea), Ten Hag's side would need both of them to drop points in their last two games, while winning their own.

Given their form right now, it seems unlikely for either Newcastle or Chelsea to slip up, making it difficult for United to climb back into the top six. Moreover, if they finish eighth or lower, it would also mark their worst league campaign of the Premier League era.