There is concern behind the scenes at Manchester United that the club's players may just have run out of steam in their battle for a top four finish.
United have played 57 games in all competitions this season, and will finish on a total of 62 after their final four Premier League games of the campaign and the FA Cup final against Manchester City on June 3.
The Red Devils are the only club to have played in every midweek since club football returned from the Qatar World Cup after Christmas, with Erik ten Hag's side having reached the Carabao Cup final, the quarter-finals of the Europa League and next month's Wembley showpiece against their city rivals.
Ten Hag has frequently mentioned the strain on his players during pre-match press conferences and post-match interviews, but ESPN claim that he has been at pains to try and avoid the issue becoming an excuse for poor performances.
However the same report states that there is now widespread concern behind the scenes at the club over the stresses and strains catching up with the squad.
After losing 1-0 at West Ham on Saturday evening Ten Hag was quick to stress that he welcomed that he now had a free week in between games, even if he followed that up by claiming that "tiredness is in your head" in an apparent attempt to avoid giving excuses.
"It’s the first time since Christmas that those players have a full week," he said.
"We have to reset, reload, get the energy back and keep going.
"But tiredness is in your head. If you want, if you have the willingness, you can take it. It’s now up to the players, me and the coaching staff to be together, get the willingness in and the belief that we can take it and this team has it.
"You can’t feel sorry for yourself, as a team stick together, as an individual take responsibility, make sure you have the energy, you have the focus, then play as a team and you get a result because we have proof of that all season."
United have found themselves in a similar position that top four rivals Liverpool were in last season, when the Reds played in 63 matches in all competitions having gone all the way to the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Champions League finals, as well as finishing a close second in the Premier League to Manchester City.
The stresses and strains, both mental and physical, were seen by many as one of the main issues for Liverpool's disappointing performances this season, but Jurgen Klopp's side have now won their last six games in a row to move just one point behind United in the table.
Liverpool have played 'just' 49 matches this season, and will end on a total of 52.
