Premier League 2019-20: 3 reasons why Manchester United will finish in the top 4

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has had his work cut out for him lately. Solskjaer's Manchester United are really taking it upon themselves to make their own lives difficult. It's been as indifferent as indifferent starts can get; Manchester United are currently 14th in the Premier League table, having amassed a measly 10 points out of a possible 27 in their opening 9 games.

While no one was predicting a realistic title charge for them this season, Manchester United were expected to, at the very least, reach the Top 4 again. Having spent heavily to reform their leaky defence, you would be forgiven for thinking the Red Devils had resolved the major issues behind their 6th place finish last season.

However, the plot has thickened as Solskjaer's men have, rather ironically, forgotten where the back of the net is. As a result, Manchester's blue and red sides have ended up in two different halves of the table.

With a quarter of the season gone and the challenges of fixture congestion on their way, many are predicting that Manchester United will once again land up at the bottom of the self-styled Top 6 of the Premier League. However, here are three reasons why Manchester United will finish in the Top 4 this season despite all the odds being stacked against them.

#1 Players returning from injury

Manchester United v Arsenal FC - Premier League

Now this might sound like an excuse, but if you consider the reality, Manchester United have had injuries to some key players at the oddest of times. Injuries to the likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw amongst others have depleted the United side of the much-needed quality in different parts of the pitch.

With the imminent returns of these players, United would be able to present a far more reliable unit on the pitch than they have been able to in the opening 9 games. Manchester United may have particularly missed the presence of Martial; the forward netted twice in the opening two games of the campaign, only to end up injured by the end of August.

With the defence finding its way steadily and players returning from injury in midfield and offense, United could produce more performances like the one the fans were treated to in the opening day demolition of Chelsea.

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#2 Solskjaer could be close to figuring out his team's attacking identity

Manchester United v Liverpool FC - Premier League

Manchester United have scored 10 goals in their opening 9 games in the Premier League. Only two of the 13 teams above them in the table have scored fewer.

Solskjaer was always going to be up against it when United chose to ship out Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez without replacing either of them. The United attack line has seemed uncertain of how to play since the second game.

It is the match against old rivals Liverpool that sets the most obvious precedent on how Solskjaer needs to set his attack up.

It wasn't just lip service when rival manager Jurgen Klopp mentioned umpteen times in his pre-match conference that Liverpool needed to be wary of the speed of United's forwards. After Marcus Rashford's much improved display against the Liverpool defence and the return to fitness of Anthony Martial, Solskjaer may have identified the way he can set things up for the Red Devils.

The solution lies in the quartet of Rashford, Martial, James and Pogba forming a slick and mobile (non-Lukaku-esque mobile) attacking unit.

Solskjaer's problems would almost evaporate if he can get these four working together on the pitch. Considering their defence is actually not half bad (only three teams are above them in the table in conceding fewer than the 9 goals they have shipped), it isn't that tough to imagine that United are just a few goals short of vastly improving their league position.

#3 Not all of the other top 4 contenders are fit and firing

Chelsea FC v Newcastle United - Premier League

As things stand in the Premier League table, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea all seem set to battle it out for the third and fourth spots in the table. Manchester City and Liverpool, meanwhile, have raced ahead of the pack already.

Now, Manchester United are seven points behind Leicester and Chelsea, who are 3rd and 4th in the table respectively. Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Tottenham are not very far behind. But each of these teams has their own set of issues to deal with this season, which could allow United the sort of space required for them to get back into the Top 4.

For starters, Chelsea are playing well - buoyed by a set of academy starlets taking centre-stage under Frank Lampard. But as the fixture congestion beckons and the race for the top 4 gets tighter, it is possible that their inexperience will cause doubts to creep in and the initial buzz to fizzle out. Chelsea have been good but still look like a team in transition.

Arsenal have their own set of problems under Unai Emery, who still doesn't seem to have cracked the code with the team. The Gunners remain rather shaky away from home where their form isn't the best - a factor that could play into the Top 4 race.

Tottenham have had issues themselves with the players underperforming and new signings taking time to settle in. They have struggled with injuries too, and it doesn't seem like they will get on a run of results any time soon.

Leicester City are looking solid as of now, but they could be affected by lack of squad depth come season end.

Crystal Palace have an outside chance of crashing the top 4 party but that seems unlikely especially with their best player, ex-Red Wilfred Zaha, unable to find his best form this season.

All things said and done Manchester United could find a way to snatch a top 4 spot right at the fag end of the race. Quite like how Solskjaer made a name for himself as a player!