Man Utd climbed to fourth in the Premier League with 48 points after their 1-0 victory over Everton on 23/2. The 'Red Devils' are three points behind Aston Villa and three points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.
While Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Liverpool must divide their focus between the FA Cup and European competitions in March, Man Utd can concentrate solely on the Premier League.
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Benjamin Sesko celebrates a goal during Man Utd's 1-0 victory over Everton on matchday 27 of the Premier League at Hill Dickinson, Bramley-Moore Dock, Vauxhall, Liverpool, England on 23/2/2026. *Photo: PA*
On his personal podcast, Gary Neville assessed that Man Utd stands before a significant opportunity to finish in the top 4, potentially even concluding the season in third place. "I think they will do it. Other teams have European cup matches, and that is a major distraction. Man Utd does not," he commented.
According to Neville, a positive aspect of Man Utd is their ability to win even when not playing well. The former England defender believes the team is learning to overcome matches where they previously dropped points. "This is a strange season with teams constantly dropping points. I believe Man Utd will finish third or fourth. They are in a favorable position," Neville added.
Jamie Carragher was even more optimistic, asserting that Man Utd is "almost guaranteed" a Champions League spot next season. Commenting on the Monday Night Football program, the former England defender stated that a lighter fixture schedule is a major advantage for Man Utd.
"Aston Villa is faltering and still has to play in the Europa League. Liverpool and Chelsea are still competing in the Champions League and FA Cup. I cannot imagine Man Utd failing to secure a Champions League spot," Carragher remarked.
Key moments from Man Utd's 1-0 victory over Everton.
Despite Neville and Carragher's optimism, Opta's prediction model presents a different scenario. According to the supercomputer, Man Utd is most likely to finish the season in fifth place. Opta assesses Aston Villa with an 86.4% chance of making the top 4, Liverpool at 48.1%, and Man Utd at 42.3%.
However, the fifth place in the Premier League this season will likely still qualify for the Champions League. This depends on the UEFA coefficient table, where the two nations with the best performance in European cups will be awarded additional Champions League berths.
England is currently the only nation with all its representatives still competing in European competitions. According to Opta's expected points model, English football has a 100% chance of finishing the season in the top 2 coefficients, thereby opening up an opportunity for the team in fifth place in the Premier League to secure a Champions League spot next season.
Hong Duy (via *Sky Sports*)
