Manchester United legend Gary Neville does not think his boyhood club will finish inside the top four in the Premier League this season.
He initially predicted that the Red Devils would be inside the top four at the end of the 2024-25 Premier League season.
Manchester United suffered a dreadful start to the 2024-25 Premier League season, losing to Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United in their first nine games. As a result, Erik ten Hag lost his job, with Ruud van Nistelrooy assuming control of the team in the interim. He oversaw a draw and a win, providing new permanent manager Ruben Amorim with a solid platform to build on.
The Portuguese manager has since overseen five games in the English top flight, guiding the team to two wins, one draw, and two defeats.
Gary Neville Expects Manchester United to Finish Outside Top 4
Predicting the Premier League top four, Neville told the Overlap US (via The Mirror):
“Top four… I’ve not got full faith in Tottenham, Aston Villa and, to be fair, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and all the other teams that are in and around it.
“I think it will be City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal at this moment in time. It’s the first time I haven’t said United will be in the top four, I think, in about 15 years!”
Neville then talked about the title race, backing Arsenal to hit top form and beat leaders, Liverpool, to the punch.
“I’m going to go with Arsenal [to win the title] on the basis that I think they’ll hit their form,” Neville continued.
“They’ve got a decent run of fixtures over Christmas, I think they’ll get within a couple of points, a few points, and I think they will hit their form in the new year and I do think they will win the league this season.”
Manchester United are currently sitting in the 13th place in the Premier League rankings after amassing just 22 points from 16 games. They are trailing fourth-placed Nottingham Forest by six points.
United will return to Premier League action with a clash with Bournemouth on 22nd December.
