Not Top-4: Gary Neville sticks with bold title prediction as he reveals where Man Utd will finish
The 2023 Premier League season is off to a rocky start for Manchester United, and Gary Neville is growing concerned that Erik ten Hag’s squad might fall short of securing a top-four finish.
Despite being two points behind the league leaders, Tottenham, Arsenal remains a strong contender for this season’s Premier League title, according to Gary Neville.
The Gunners have embarked on an impressive undefeated run in the campaign. They secured significant victories against reigning champions Manchester City and Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United.
However, they’ve also dropped points in encounters with Fulham, Spurs, and most recently Chelsea.
Currently, Arsenal occupies the third position in the league standings, sharing points with second-placed Manchester City.
Neville initially tipped Mikel Arteta’s side to clinch the title before the season commenced, and he remains unwavering in his prediction, although he admits to being pleasantly surprised by Tottenham’s exceptional start under their new manager, Ange Postecoglou.
For Manchester United fans, there’s a cause for concern as Neville anticipates that Ten Hag’s team may conclude the season in sixth place, placing them at risk of missing out on a coveted Champions League spot.
The Red Devils have experienced a lackluster start to the season, languishing eight points behind eighth-placed Tottenham.
Neville shared his updated forecasts during a Q&A session on X. He maintained his faith in Arsenal as Premier League champions, expressed his surprise at Tottenham’s performance, and asserted that Manchester United would secure the third position. This declaration is likely to bring joy to Arsenal supporters.
It’s worth noting that Arsenal had briefly led the Premier League title race last season but faltered towards the end, as Neville had predicted. If he proves right again, Arsenal could become the champions in May.
Neville’s choice to back Arsenal as title winners stems from the belief that it is increasingly challenging for a team to secure four consecutive league titles.
Throughout the history of English football, only a handful of clubs have achieved such a feat, including Manchester United (1999-2001 and 2007-2009), Liverpool (1982-1984), Arsenal (1933-1935), Manchester City (2021-2023), and Huddersfield (1924-1926).
In Neville’s words, “Just because of the three-peat tradition and never clinching the fourth, I am leaning towards Arsenal winning the league.
My predictions stand at Manchester City in second, Manchester United (third), Liverpool (fourth), Chelsea (fifth), and Aston Villa (sixth).”
While Neville continues to stand by his Arsenal forecast, he has become less optimistic about Manchester United’s chances of securing a top-four finish.
The Red Devils have already suffered three home defeats this season, with Brighton, Crystal Palace, and Galatasaray all claiming victories at Old Trafford.
In contrast, Tottenham has surprised the Premier League with their unbeaten start, a remarkable achievement considering they sold Harry Kane to Bayern Munich during the summer.
Spurs face two significant challenges in November as they prepare to take on Chelsea and Aston Villa.
