Woeful Man United end season with 2-0 defeat by Cardiff

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford speaks with Jesse Lingard after the match as Mason Greenwood and Angel Gomes look on REUTERS/Andrew Yates

MANCHESTER UNITED 0 CARDIFF CITY 2

May 12 (Reuters) - Manchester United ended their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 home defeat by relegated Cardiff City after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing struck in each half to give the Bluebirds a fine farewell from the top flight on Sunday.

With nothing but pride at stake on a sunny afternoon at Old Trafford, United produced another dreadful performance which stretched their poor run to just one win from their last seven Premier League games.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Cardiff City's Aron Gunnarsson celebrates after the match with Sean Morrison Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was clearly unhappy with their loss of form in the home straight which saw them finish sixth, 32 points behind champions Manchester City.

"It will take some time to close in on the top, we finished five or six points behind third, fourth and fifth and that has to be our aim," said the club's former striker.

"The top two teams have set a standard higher than before and we have to take up the next challenge.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Cardiff City's Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

"The work starts now, everyone has the summer off but we have to come back with a different mentality and different attitude."

Mendez-Laing opened the scoring with a 23rd-minute penalty after he was fouled by Diogo Dalot, as United, fielding half a dozen academy graduates, missed a string of chances in an action-packed first half before Josh Murphy nearly grabbed a second for Cardiff.

Murphy set up the second in the 54th minute when he weaved his way into the penalty area and delivered an inch-perfect cross to the unmarked Mendez-Laing, who tapped in from close range.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Cardiff City's Sean Morrison gestures to fans after the match with Lee Peltier Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge then pulled off a pair of superb saves to deny Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba, either side of Bobby Reid's rasping volley which sailed inches wide at the other end.

Visiting manager Neil Warnock was upbeat about Cardiff's prospects of making a swift return to the top flight.

"I wanted the players to play for me today," he said. "With a bit of luck, we would have stayed up. I'm having a meeting with the chairman and chief executive on Monday.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Manchester United's Paul Pogba in action with Cardiff City's Leandro Bacuna REUTERS/Andrew Yates

"The club is in a strong position... they can push on like Burnley did when they went down. I will leave the club in a good state whenever I leave."

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Manchester United's Antonio Valencia in action REUTERS/Andrew Yates

(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Tony Lawrence)

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Manchester United's Paul Pogba looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in action with Cardiff City's Sean Morrison and Jazz Richards REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Cardiff City's Bobby Reid in action with Manchester United's Scott McTominay Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gestures during the match REUTERS/Andrew Yates

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Cardiff City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 12, 2019 Manchester United's Paul Pogba in action with Cardiff City's Leandro Bacuna REUTERS/Andrew Yates