Louis van Gaal: 'Manchester United need to be ruthless to end season on a high'

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has called on his players to be "ruthless" when they take on Hull City this afternoon.

The Red Devils still have an outside chance of finishing in the top three, although the more pressing issue at the KC Stadium surrounds opponents Hull.

Only a victory will do for Steve Bruce's relegation-threatened side, with the former United defender also requiring Newcastle United to slip up at home to West Ham United.

Far from allowing his squad to relax, Van Gaal has targeted a winning end to the Premier League season.

"It is difficult. It is very sad that we can win and something bad happens that you don't want to happen to another manager," he is quoted as saying by The Telegraph. "It's also Steve Bruce and I know what that means. I have never been relegated myself but I know it's a sad thing.

"We need to be ruthless. We have to respect the other clubs of the Premier League. We took six points out of six beating Newcastle United, so they expect us to do the same against Hull."

Hull have lost all seven of their previous Premier League encounters with United, conceding 21 goals in the process.