The Reds were defeated 1-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on the final day of the season following a Wilfried Zaha strike, but secured a place in the group stage of a competition United won in 2017.
West Ham had been hoping to leapfrog United in the standings and would have felt in good spirits when they went a goal up at Brighton through Michail Antonio, but a spirited second half by the Seagulls saw the Hammers beaten 3-1, after goals from Joel Veltman, Pascal Gross and former Red Danny Welbeck.
United, therefore, finished the campaign on 58 points – two ahead of David Moyes’s side.