Gary Neville has made a bold prediction for his former club ahead of their crucial clash with Aston Villa as they pursue a spot in the Premier League top four.
Manchester United currently sit third in the Premier League ahead of what will be an incredibly crucial match week in their pursuit of a top finish.
Michael Carrick’s Reds have looked like a side reborn in 2026, with six wins, one draw and one loss in their eight matches under the 44-year-old.
Following their disappointing defeat to Newcastle United last week, United will be looking to make amends and get back to winning ways against Aston Villa on Sunday, 15 March.
Ahead of their vital six-pointer against Unai Emery’s Villains, former Red Devil Gary Neville has given his prediction for the fixture, handing the edge to United.
Neville’s United prediction
Speaking on The Overlap, via Man Utd News, Neville spoke on his former side’s chances for their home bout against Villa, claiming it to be a ‘big game’ for the top four.
The former right-back said, “2-1 United. Big game on Sunday in top four”.
Both sides currently sit on 51 points in the league, three points ahead both Chelsea and Liverpool, who sit closely behind on 48 apiece.
United, similarly to their opponents, will be desperate to bounce back from their disappointing defeats in the league last week, as they continue their charge to return to Europe’s most prestigious competition.
United’s top four hopes wounded?
It has been a bad week for Carrick’s side not just on the pitch, but off the pitch, as they dream of returning to the Champions League.
During this week’s instalment of the Champions League, six English sides played in their first legs, of which none came out victorious, with four suffering defeats.
Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City all fell to fairly humbling three-goal deficits in their away legs, whilst Liverpool lost 1-0 to Turkish side Galatasaray.
These results may end up being detrimental to United, as it may hurt England’s position in the UEFA Coefficient table, which could result in the Premier League losing its fifth Champions League spot.
This has only increased the impetus put on Sunday’s fixture for the Reds, as they may need to finish within the top four if they want to earn the chance to play amongst Europe’s elites.
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