Having looked out of the race last week, Manchester United find themselves right back in the hunt for the top four after a perfect weekend.
United took full advantage of their rivals slipping up on Saturday as they beat Norwich 3-2 at Old Trafford, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick. With both Tottenham and Arsenal suffering defeats, it meant United moved to within three points of that coveted fourth and final Champions League spot.
With just six games to go, suddenly hope is renewed at United, although they face a pivotal week as they look to retain their hopes of finishing fourth. Here’s a look at their remaining fixtures compared to Tottenham and Arsenal.
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Tuesday, April 19 – Liverpool (A)
United begin a pivotal week with a trip to Anfield to take on Jurgen Klopp’s title-chasing side. Having beaten Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday, their hopes of a historic quadruple remain intact.
The visitors have it all to do here. Having been thrashed at Old Trafford earlier in the season, United know all about how destructive Liverpool can be, but they will need to find a way of coming away with a result.
Saturday, April 23 – Arsenal (A)
Both United and Arsenal have tricky midweek trips to contend with, with the Gunners heading to Chelsea on Wednesday. That arguably places even more importance on this clash at the Emirates next weekend.
Put simply, United need to win this one if they’re to remain in the race for the top four. If they suffer defeat, then it likely becomes a straight shootout between the two north London sides.
Monday, May 2 – Brentford (H)
If United are still in the hunt after that really tricky week, they’ll have the chance to see how their rivals fare before taking on Brentford at Old Trafford. Both Tottenham and Arsenal play the day before, and neither have straightforward games.
Having said that, United’s game is far from a foregone conclusion either. Brentford have been in superb form in recent weeks, and look to have safely secured another season in the Premier League.
Saturday, May 7 – Brighton (A)
The side that have thrown the cat among the pigeons in the top four race. Brighton have caused chaos in the last couple of weeks, having beaten both Arsenal and Tottenham at their own grounds and even their boss Graham Potter joked about beating both north London teams.
It means this trip to the Amex Stadium is a daunting one for Ralf Rangnick's side. United need to make sure they succeed where their rivals have failed.
Sunday, May 15 – Chelsea (H)
The penultimate game of the season is currently set for May 15, although that will change if Chelsea book their place in the FA Cup final. Should they overcome Crystal Palace in the semi-finals, they’ll find themselves up against Liverpool at Wembley on May 14.
Regardless, the fixture will almost certainly take place during that week — potentially on the Tuesday or Wednesday. The Blues’ season will more or less be over by that point, so can United take advantage of some complacency on their part?
Sunday, May 22 – Crystal Palace (A)
A final day trip to Selhurst Park, and United will hope they’re at least still in the race for fourth by that point. And with Tottenham and Arsenal facing Norwich and Everton respectively, United could do with being out in front.
Palace have proven formidable with Patrick Vieira in charge, although they won’t really have anything to play for come the final day. On paper, it’s certainly the trickiest final day fixture out of the top four rivals.
Tottenham’s remaining fixtures
- Brentford (A)
- Leicester (H)
- Liverpool (A)
- Arsenal (H)
- Burnley (H)
- Norwich (A)
Arsenal’s remaining fixtures
- Chelsea (A)
- Manchester United (H)
- West Ham (A)
- Leeds (H)
- Tottenham (A)
- Newcastle (A)
- Everton (H)
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