Man Utd must set a new record before placing in the top four …

Jose Mourinho said last Friday that he considered the holiday season as an opportunity for Manchester United catapult himself back into the calculation for the first four.

The only problem: it is probably already too late. If it was not already a big order before the weekend, the 0-0 draw at home at Crystal Palace On Saturday, Mourinho must inspire his men to do something that has never been done in the last two decades: catch up seven points after one third of the season (13 games) to finish in the top four.

Since many Mourinho's players barely give him the bare minimum, it seems unlikely that they are embarking on the effort to set new benchmarks for him.

Here are the worrying statistics for Mourinho and United:

– Of the first four finishes since the start of the Premier League, Arsenal in 2012/13 had the biggest deficit to fill. Arsene Wenger's men used the final two-thirds of the campaign to make up for a five-point gap and finish fourth, one point behind Tottenham.

– Only five more times – including three with Liverpool – the top four have recovered a deficit of more than one point at this point of the season.

– And in the last 10 years, in five seasons, the teams in the first four places after 13 games have been the same teams that have ranked in the Champions League. Only once in the last decade (last season), the composition of the final four final was changed more than one side compared to that of the quartet at the top after 13 games.

If United had beaten Palace on Saturday, the gap between Chelsea and fourth place would have been five points – an obstacle that had already been overcome, even if it was only once.

But now, it seems that if Mourinho and United want to stay in the Champions League next year, they will have to win this season. Or, get eliminated in the group stage and win the Europa League again. Do not pretend that it did not go through José's mind …

Deficit of 5 points

Arsenal 2012/13

Table after 13 games:
1) Manchester United 30pts
2) Manchester City 29
3) West Brom 26
4) Chelsea 25
–
6) Arsenal 20

Final table:
1) Manchester United 89pts
2) Manchester City 78
3) Chelsea 75
4) Arsenal 73

Deficits of 4 points

Tottenham 16/17

Table after 13 games:
1) Chelsea 31
2) Liverpool 30
3) Manchester City 30
4) Arsenal 28
5) Tottenham 24

Final table
1) Chelsea 93
2) Tottenham 86
3) Manchester City 78
4) Liverpool 76

Liverpool 2006/07

Table after 13 games:
1) Manchester United 34
2) Chelsea 31
3) Portsmouth 23
4) Arsenal 22
–
10) Liverpool 18

Final table:
1) Manchester United 89
2) Chelsea 83
3) Liverpool 68
4) Arsenal 68

Liverpool 2005/06

Table after 13 games
1) Chelsea 34
2) Wigan 25
3) Manchester United 24
4) Arsenal 23
–
9) Liverpool 19

Final table
1) Chelsea 91
2) Manchester United 83
3) Liverpool 82
4) Arsenal 67

Liverpool 03/04

Table after 13 games
1) Arsenal 33
2) Chelsea 32
3) Manchester United 31
4) Charlton 22
–
9) Liverpool 18

Final table:
1) Arsenal 90
2) Chelsea 79
3) Manchester United 75
4) Liverpool 60

Newcastle 02/03

Table after 13 games:
1) Liverpool 30
2) Arsenal 29
3) Chelsea 23
4) Everton 23
–
9) Newcastle 19

Final table:
1) Manchester United 83
2) Arsenal 78
3) Newcastle 69
4) Chelsea 67