Ralf Rangnick says Manchester United lacked physicality in their supine Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.
United were consigned to a fifth trophyless season with a 1-0 second leg defeat to go out 2-1 on aggregate in the round-of-16.
Rangnick barely concealed his dislike of Atletico's obdurate style at his post-match press conference and was especially critical of Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic for making it 'easy' for Atletico to waste time. The interim manager felt United were at a disadvantage to break down Atletico's 'wall' after they went 1-0 down to Renan Lodi's 41st minute goal.
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When it was suggested United were 'naive', Rangnick replied: "I don't know what you mean by naive. Against a team like Atletico, who are the champions of that style of football, it's not easy. You have to break through that wall somehow. We don't have the most physical of teams to break through walls. You need physicality and in the second-half it was difficult.
"We brought all the offensive players we had on the bench to score the equaliser but it was difficult against this wall of players."
United do not play again until April 2 against Leicester in the first of their last nine Premier League matches. Arsenal play two of their games in hand this week against Liverpool at home and Aston Villa away and could move seven points ahead of United, already in fifth.
Arsenal host United on April 23 - four days after United play at Liverpool in their rearranged fixture. "It's unusual to not play a single game in two-and-a-half weeks," Rangnick said of the March schedule. "Especially in this league when you play every three days.
"We have 85% of the squad on international duty, most of them coming back on Tuesday and Wednesday (before the Leicester match), so three days to prepare for the Leicester game.
"In the league, the situation is pretty clear, we have to win most of those nine games. For sure, we have to win at Arsenal but the only way to finish fourth at the end is to win most of those nine games.
"It would not be bad if at one stage they drop points but for us, the only thing we can do is win as many games as possible and we are fully aware the games we have to play are some really difficult ones.
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"For sure, the next three games at home to Leicester, away to Everton and home to Norwich, we have to get all nine points if possible."
