Manchester United legend Gary Neville has recently shared his thoughts on the top four race involving his former club, Tottenham and Aston Villa. His predictions are not only insightful but also brutally honest.
Neville believes that Manchester United will face a tough battle to secure a spot in the top four this season. He argues that based on their recent performance against Brentford, they "don't deserve to" finish in the top four. The Red Devils were outplayed for much of Saturday's 1-1 draw in West London after facing 34 shots from a team who hasn't tasted victory since February.
The results elsewhere also did not favor Manchester United with both Tottenham and Aston Villa securing wins. This leaves United trailing by eight points off fifth place and an even more daunting 11 points off fourth place.
Brentford performance showed why United can’t qualify for CL spot
Neville didn’t mince words when it came to assessing his former club’s performance against Brentford. Despite fifth place likely being enough for Champions League football next season, he expressed doubts about whether they would be able to reach even that position this season.
He criticized their lackluster performance against Brentford as one of the reasons why they may struggle to secure a Champions League qualification through league placement.
Gary Neville, Manchester United legend, said:
"[Aston Villa and Tottenham] will drop points but if you look at United's level of performance, you just think that not only will they struggle to get into that fifth or fourth spot, they don't deserve to at this moment in time with what we are seeing,"
"It's actually really difficult to play that badly. Usually, whatever team you play against, even if you are a top team, the other team will have five or 10 minutes of play or a period of domination. I can't remember any point in the game where Man Utd did anything well at all. It was a horrible performance."
Big test awaits for Manchester United in upcoming fixtures
United is set to play again on Thursday evening away at Chelsea before hosting current Premier League table leaders Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday. These matches will be crucial tests for Erik ten Hag's side as they strive to improve their standing in the league table.
These upcoming games could potentially determine whether or not Neville’s prediction comes true or if Manchester United can turn things around and prove him wrong by securing a spot among the top four teams this season.
Gary Neville's prediction paints a grim picture for Manchester United in their quest for a top-four finish. However, with several games still to play this season, there is ample opportunity for the Red Devils to change their fortunes and defy Neville's expectations.
