Anderson predicts more players want to leave Manchester United amidst current crisis

ON loan Manchester United midfielder claims there will be more people trying to leave Old Trafford as the top four slips away.

Can David Moyes scrape United into the top four?

MANCHESTER United must win every one of their last 14 Barclays Premier League games if they are to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League, according to Chris Smalling.

United left the Britannia Stadium beaten, bewildered and even further adrift of those precious top four spots after a shock defeat.

And former United midfielder Anderson, who just arrived at Fiorentina on loan, declared there's a queue also wanting to leave Old Trafford.

'I'm sure that lots of players want out, especially people like myself and Nani who have been in Manchester for seven or eight years,' Anderson was quoted as saying by ESPN.

'Manchester United is a huge club, a club that does everything for its players but sometimes a footballer wants to leave just to experience a different way to play football, to learn something as well.'

News_Image_File: Former United midfielder Anderson.

News_Rich_Media: The good, the bad and the downright ugly from Round 24 of the English Premier League.

There is an inescapable feeling that United's squad needs a huge revamp in the summer.

Rio Ferdinand's contract expires at the end of the season, and given his lack of playing time this term, it would appear unlikely that he will renew his current deal.

Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic are coming towards the end of their contracts while question marks also hang over the likes of Nani and Javier Hernandez.

Smalling, who started against Stoke at right back and by half-time was partnering midfielder Michael Carrick in central defence after Jonny Evans and Phil Jones fell to injury, says the equation is simple for the EPL champions.

'We've got to go into it as if we need to win every game,' he said.

'We've not done ourselves any favours with losses like this.

'I think we all know if anything that (the Champions League) is the minimum we need to aim for.

'Each point we drop makes it hard for ourselves.

'It seems we are taking one step forward and then one back, but we must stick together; time is running out to pick up these points.' Arsenal and Tottenham have occupied fourth place in each of the last four seasons after finishing with between 68 and 73 points. United can theoretically reach 82.

News_Rich_Media: All the highlights from Stoke's 2-1 win over Manchester United at the Britannia Stadium.

On current form, can they get near that? They look vulnerable to anyone and everyone; a punch-drunk champion waiting for the next big right hand to land.

True, Stoke's first win over United in 30 years owed something to those injuries and the outrageous deflection off Carrick that diverted Charlie Adam's free-kick into the net.

However, manager David Moyes knows he played a Pound37million new signing in Juan Mata alongside Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie - and still lost to Stoke.

United have suffered five defeats in all competitions within one month. 'Never as bad as this one,' was Moyes's response when asked about his luck. 'I'm a football guy. I know how it works, you take it as it comes and goes, but this has been quite a long sustained period.'

- with Paul Hirst