Rio Ferdinand and Steve Sidwell shared similar concerns over Manchester United's top-four ambitions despite the Red Devils pulling off a 3-1 victory at Brentford on Wednesday night.
Ralf Rangnick's side withstood some early pressure from their opponents before scoring three second-half goals and could end the weekend in the top four if they beat West Ham United at Old Trafford and other results also go their way.
United weren't the only winners on Wednesday, though, with Tottenham Hotspur coming from behind to claim a dramatic late 3-2 victory at Leicester City.
Spurs' games in hand mean they're a few people's favourites for the final Champions League spot, and both Ferdinand and Sidwell outlined the threat posed to United by Antonio Conte's side over the coming months.
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Speaking on BT Sport, former United defender Ferdinand said of his former club: "They need results and top four is the goal now, but Spurs are a win or two with their games in hand from being in a very strong position with the Antonio Conte bounce."
"United are there for the top four, they've got a good run of games, they have to take points off teams around them as well."
United have already beaten Spurs once this season, claiming a 3-0 victory in what proved to be Nuno Espirito Santo's final game in north London, and the return game with Conte in the dugout may well be a much tougher task.
Sidwell, meanwhile, suggested the imminent arrival of a new manager at the end of the season makes the top four a must.
Rangnick's permanent successor is yet to be appointed, with Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag in contention for the role, and the former Chelsea midfielder pointed to the uncertain future when assessing United's task.
"Top four is an absolute must for United this season, they can't go from second to not getting in the Champions League," he said.
"With a new manager coming in, it is huge."
Manchester United stayed seventh after their victory, thanks to Tottenham's victory at the King Power Stadium before the end of the season, and still have to play the three teams directly above them in the table before the end of the season.
Fourth place West Ham are their opponents on Saturday, before a home meeting with Tottenham on March 12 and a trip to Arsenal on April 23.
United won all three fixtures against the teams in question in the first half of the season, and their results in the reverse games may go some way to determining who finishes in the top four and who misses out.
