Sky Sports football pundit Gary Neville is predicting that Manchester United will finish in the top four due to the fact they are not involved in Europe.
Currently the Red Devils are in third place on 43 points, one better than Southampton and Arsenal and two points clear of 5th place Spurs.
The former United man admits the clubs around United are in better form but believes they will be back playing in the Champions League next season.
“United have been churning it out over the last three or four months. They have only lost once in 15 games,” Neville told Monday Night Football.
“They are not in the sort of form that Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham are in at this moment in time, but they’re winning games and picking up points.
“Their victory over Leicester was a routine victory that they would have wanted. I asked Daley Blind to start playing more balls forward and he’s started to do that more and I think the ball he played to Van Persie for the first goal was a fantastic ball to set up a typical goal for the striker.
“The only criticism Van Gaal could have had was their approach to the second half, but they’re coming up to a period now where the big tests are still to come, starting with West Ham away on Sunday.
“I wouldn’t pay too much attention to United conceding against Leicester, there have been plenty of times I can think of at Old Trafford where you’ve won the game at half time and it’s difficult in the second half to get the same performance out of the team.
“The Hammers are a difficult side to play at Upton Park, but the reason I feel confident about United finishing in the top four is that Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs have European commitments.
“Those sides will come through that period with difficult games after European games and United have got free weeks.”
