Manchester United were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by struggling Hull City on Wednesday night to further hinder their chances of finishing in the Premier League’s top four.

Jose Mourinho’s men had lost to the Tigers the week before in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final, yet were firm favourites to record a 12th league victory of the campaign.

However, it wasn’t to be for the Red Devils, who found Hull shot-stopper Eldin Jakupovic in sensational form to repeatedly deny the United frontmen, and indeed secure an important point for Marco Silva’s side.

Nonetheless, it was certainly two points dropped for Mourinho’s men, who remain four points behind fourth place Liverpool after a ninth draw of the season, and sixth at Old Trafford.

Given the struggles United had in the first half of the season, many felt that Mourinho needed to strengthen in January to bridge the gap between themselves and the top four, and unsurprisingly they were linked with many top-class players over the course of the month.

However, the Red Devils didn’t bring anyone in, and here is what their FRONT FOUR could have looked like if they had got one key deal over the line…

Paul Pogba

Despite a horrorshow against Liverpool a few weeks back, Paul Pogba appears to have adapted to English football, and is beginning to show why United spent big money on bringing him to Old Trafford.

The French international has scored four goals and laid on three assists in the Premier League this term and, although many would have expected more from the 23-year-old, his performances have consistently been of high standard, to the point that he is often United’s highest rated performer on any given match-day.

United fans will rightly point to his display against Liverpool, given that an £89 million man should be having a positive effect on a big match rather than a negative one, but Pogba is only 23 and, other than that game, he has been steadily improving over the course of the season.

Nonetheless, he has got many great years to come at United.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Mourinho was criticised for the way he dealt with Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the start of the season, but the Armenian’s reintroduction to the first team suggests that the United boss got it right.

The 28-year-old, who signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, made just one Premier League start for the Red Devils in the first four months of the campaign, but ever since he played 85 minutes against Everton on December 4, he has shown everyone why United paid £30 million for him.

He’s netted four goals and laid on another one to help United get through their Europa League group, reach the League Cup final, and give themselves a chance of finishing in the top four in the Premier League.

Mkhitaryan will be a huge asset for United for the rest of the season, and indeed for many years to come.

Antoine Griezmann

There was much speculation surrounding the future of Atletico Madrid attacker Antonio Griezmann during the first half of the season, with United a favourite to land the French international.

However, no deal was done during the January window, although that doesn’t mean that he won’t join the Red Devils at some stage in the near future.

The 25-year-old has been one of the most prolific attackers in world football in recent seasons, having netted 71 goals in 135 games for Atletico since moving there in 2014, as well as scoring 14 goals for France in the last three years.

Griezmann is once again embarking on another fine season in the Spanish capital, having already scored 14 times for the club this term, yet his future remains far from certain.

United are clearly interested, but their lack of Champions League football could hurt their chances of landing the Frenchman, so it’s imperative that they finish in the top four this season.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is embarking on a very impressive debut season in English football, having joined from French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.

The Swedish striker has scored 14 goals in 22 Premier League starts for United, and has also found the net in the Europa League, the League Cup, and indeed the Community Shield final win over Leicester back in August.

It means that the 35-year-old has netted 19 times in all competitions for Mourinho’s men this term, and when Juan Mata is their next top-scorer with seven, it highlights how integral Ibrahimovic is to this United side.

Keeping the forward fit and fresh for the remainder of the campaign will be crucial for their top four aspirations, as well as their chance of lifting some silverware.