Manchester United's next six Premier League fixtures…

Manchester United's next six Premier League fixtures compared with Liverpool, Newcastle & rivals

Manchester United will spend the current international break occupying third in the Premier League table after Tottenham Hotspur missed out on the chance to climb above them on Saturday.

With United in FA Cup quarter-final action, both Spurs and Newcastle United were presented with the opportunity to eat into the Reds' slender advantage in the standings. Spurs blew a two-goal lead against Southampton, drawing 3-3, to leave them one point behind Erik ten Hag's troops, while Newcastle moved to within three points of them with a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest.

The Reds' league form has suffered in recent weeks, perhaps because of the amount of energy they have had to put into other competitions, meaning they have won just two of their last five Premier League outings. Nevertheless, they remain a strong bet to secure a top-four finish and a route back into the Champions League for next term.

United will resume their campaign with a crunch clash against Newcastle at St James' Park on Sunday, April 2. That will mark the beginning of the final sprint to the finish line.

But with the race for the top four, with the exception of Arsenal at the top and Manchester City in second, threatening to go right down to the wire, there is almost no room for error. MEN Sport has taken a close look at United's next six league fixtures and compared them with those of the clubs they are currently fighting tooth and nail with for a top-four berth.

Manchester United - 3rd (50pts)

Newcastle United (A) - April 2
Brentford (H) - April 5
Everton (H) - April 8
Nottingham Forest (A) - April 16
Tottenham Hotspur (A) - April 27
Aston Villa (H) - April 30

Verdict: After stuttering in the league recently, United will probably welcome the current pause. Their schedule has been demanding ever since the World Cup and they have looked leggy in recent weeks.

Following the international break, their fixture list features a wide variety of challenges, featuring crunch clashes with Newcastle and Tottenham away from home and home encounters with Everton, who are still trying to avoid relegation, and Aston Villa, who could make a late run for Europe. United must make the most of their three home games.