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Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand reckons the Red Devils could finish in the Premier League top-four this season.
United are coming off a last-gasp 3-2 home win over Aston Villa in midweek, recovering from a 2-0 first-half deficit. They're seventh in the standings, 11 points behind leaders Liverpool (42) after 19 games.
The Red Devils travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday (December 30) for their final league game of the year. Having won all four matchups across competitions against Nottingham, Erik ten Hag's side will fancy their chances of continuing the run at the City Ground.
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However, having lost eight times in the league this season, United are a long way from the top-four - trailing Arsenal by nine points. Nevertheless, Ferdinand reckons Ten Hag's side will be there come the end of the season, saying on TNT Sports (via Daily Mail):
"Man United have are one of the biggest injury-ravaged teams this season, but come January, a lot of those players will be back and I think they'll have a big impact going forward. Man United are still in touch.
"And with a bigger squad that's back playing and hopefully more confident - they'll be back in the top-four."
The Red Devils have won only once in four league games since beating Chelsea 2-1 at home earlier this month.
"We have to play our best football" - Manchester United boss ahead of Nottingham trip
Manchester United have named an unchanged squad for the trip to Nottingham Forest for their final game of the year.
Forest have won just four times in 19 league games this season and are languishing just a point off the relegation zone, in 16th place. Nevertheless, Ten Hag is taking nothing for granted (as per Red Devils' website):
“We have the same squad as we had against Villa, and yeah, it's a tough game. We know that. We have to play our best football. We know that. But that is what we are preparing for.”
United won the reverse fixture 3-2 at home earlier in the season. Following a calamitous start - conceding twice inside four minutes - the Red Devils extended their 30-game unbeaten run at home across competitions.
