Interim manager Ralf Rangnick apologised for Manchester United’s “humiliating” 4-0 drubbing by Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, a result that ended their faint hopes of playing in the Champions League next season.

With Rangnick’s team having just one match left, they cannot finish higher than their current sixth place in the standings and all the teams above them have games in hand. In fact, they could finish lower in the standings if they are leapfrogged by West Ham United.

“It was a terrible performance. From the first until the last minute it was not enough. We can only apologise for this performance and a humiliating defeat,” said Rangnick, who will hand over coaching duties to Erik ten Hag at the end of the season.

United’s 3-0 win over Brentford earlier this week had raised hopes that they might manage to sneak into Europe’s premier club competition next season but it proved to be a short-lived pipe dream.

“Last Monday’s win over Brentford was a different game, we just gave too much time and space to Brighton,” added German Rangnick.

United have lost three of their last five league games, leaking 12 goals during that run. It is little wonder the Old Trafford faithfuls have been left extremely frustrated as United have endured their worst-ever Premier League season for goals conceded, with the tally standing at 56 so far.

While defeats against top-four opposition Liverpool and Arsenal were not that surprising, the rout they suffered at Brighton left United’s fans so angry that they chanted “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” during Saturday’s match.

“What we did today (Saturday), what I did today, was not enough to be in a Manchester United shirt and I accept it,” midfielder Bruno Fernandes told Sky Sports.

“They outplayed us. They always had a solution. Pressed us better and they deserved the result. A little bit of everything went wrong. Quality. Mentality. They deserved to win and we deserve to be in the position we are in now.”

His manager added: “In games like today and at Everton (when we were beaten 1-0), there was a lack of energy and aggression... In the last four weeks we have been really poor.”

The result was Brighton’s first victory at home since December.