Manchester United: Looking to end year absence from Champions League

Manchester United will qualify for the Champions League in place of rivals Liverpool and Tottenham who will be hampered by European commitments, according to Gary Neville.

Louis van Gaal’s side currently sit third in the table on 43 points, a point clear of Southampton and Arsenal and two in front of Spurs, following Saturday’s 3-1 win against Leicester at Old Trafford.

And while Neville admits his former club are not displaying the form of some of the clubs around them, ultimately he believes they will return to Europe’s elite club competition following a one-year absence.

“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."

Premier League form table shows signs of stability at Old Trafford

Foundation

Despite what has been an inconsistent season by United’s standards, Neville believes his former club have begun to show signs typical of Van Gaal’s management.

I feel confident about United finishing in the top four because Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs have European commitments. A period of big tests are coming up for United now but because of the run they've got I do think they've got enough with finish with Arsenal, along with City and Chelsea, in the top four. Sky Sports' Gary Neville

To date, United have conceded a goal less than champions Manchester City, and just two more than league-leaders Chelsea, a point which Neville argues show Van Gaal is installing the foundations for success at Old Trafford.

“Resilience is a quality every manager wants to bring to a club and when Van Gaal came to United I expected really attacking football and high levels of possession - which has been evident,” Neville added.

“I was also expecting wingers I suppose, playing the old Dutch 4-3-3 system, so there’s a lot of things I did expect that we’ve not seen yet. But the foundation is there through resilience and not conceding goals.

“If they were conceding goals like they were against Leicester at the start of the season I’d be concerned about them finishing in the top four.

“I think because of the run they’ve got, in terms of no European commitments, I do think they got enough, with Arsenal, to finish in the top four, along with Chelsea and City."