Ruben Amorim has played down Manchester United’s chances of finishing in the Premier League top four this season despite leading his team to a 4-0 win over Everton on Sunday.

United moved into the top half of the table thanks to two goals each from Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee at Old Trafford. It moves Amorim’s side to within four points of Brighton in fourth and the Portuguese coach was asked afterwards if a top-four finish was a realistic target this season.

“If I say no you will say I cannot be a Manchester United coach but I want to be honest with our fans,” Amorim said.

“Let’s focus on the performances and not the results and we’ll see in the end. In the end, I said this many times, I will be judged about the place that we finish. I know that. Let’s focus on the next game and look at the performance.

“Sometimes we had like Thursday it was 3-2 [against Bodo/Glimt] but I think we deserved more. Today it was 4-0 I think Everton deserved more also.

“So, let’s focus on the performance. Congratulations to the lads. Let’s rest and recover and think about Arsenal.”

Zirkzee was a surprise selection against Everton, but repaid Amorim’s faith with his first United goals since August.

Rashford, meanwhile, has now got three goals in three games under the 39-year-old after also netting in his first game against Ipswich.

“He [Rashford] can do so much,” said Amorim, who takes his team to the Emirates to face Arsenal on Wednesday.

“He has to continue to improve, he has the ability to do it and he already proved that. But he can play so much better like the other guys so it was a good performance, tomorrow he has to recover and start thinking about Arsenal.”