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Are Manchester United in the Premier League title race? Gary Neville and Roy Keane disagree | Football News

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Gary Neville insists Manchester United are not in the title race but Roy Keane disagrees and says their former side “have to be ready to pounce” on any mistakes from Arsenal and Man City.

United scored two late goals to beat Leeds 2-0 on Sunday but still trail Premier League leaders Arsenal by five points having played two games more than their rivals.


Sunday 19th February 1:00pm


Kick off 2:00pm

Erik ten Hag rotated his defence at Elland Road, handing Raphael Varane a rest while giving Luke Shaw the chance to play at centre-back ahead of Thursday’s trip to Barcelona with Lisandro Martinez suspended for the first leg of the Europa League play-off tie.

Neville says the United manager’s decision to make changes in the Premier League suggests he knows the title is out of reach.

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Manchester United’s win against Leeds United in the Premier League.

“Interestingly, I was watching the second half against Leeds, and I thought they weren’t going to get the goal and get the win,” Neville told Sky Sports.

“I thought Erik ten Hag has had to prioritise the Barcelona game because he put Raphael Varane on the bench to save him for that game on Thursday and played Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw at centre-back at Elland Road.

“If he thought he could win the Premier League he would obviously prioritise the Premier League, but even he’s rotating his squad and obviously he got away with it against Leeds and it has worked for him.

“I just don’t think they can win the Premier League for the reasons that they have so many games and I just don’t think they are at the level of Man City and Arsenal.”

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Erik ten Hag says Marcus Rashford’s focus over ninety minutes and his team staying composed were crucial to the victory at Elland Road.

Neville added: “Also, United are in all the cup competitions still. They have all those games, playing every three days.

“I just think it will be too much for them but if they are in it come March and April, they’ll have a massive chance with seven or eight games to go.

“So, they have just got to hang in there and hope that Arsenal and Man City aren’t quite right towards the end of the season, but I just think they aren’t quite ready yet.”

Keane: Man Utd must be ready to pounce

Marcus Rashford celebrates his goal with Bruno Fernandes
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Marcus Rashford celebrates his goal with Bruno Fernandes

At least one of City and Arsenal will drop points on Wednesday when they face off at the Emirates and Keane says United must anticipate that there will be more mistakes from the Premier League’s top two.

“Obviously, Arsenal and City are ahead of them but what they have to do, if any of the teams above them slip up, they have to be ready to pounce,” Keane told Sky Sports.

“They won today and they have to keep the pressure on City.

“Considering the way they started the season – they had a disastrous start against Brighton and Brentford – to be where they are now, I’d say they are very much in with a chance.

“United have to keep doing what they are doing winning football matches. Yes, you can slip up the odd time, but they couldn’t afford to slip up at Leeds. Eventually, their quality did show, particularly the first goal, it was brilliant.

Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho scores their second goal of the game
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Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho scores off the bench at Leeds

“But the manager mentioned it after the game, talking about the squad, players coming off the bench, Alejandro Garnacho at Leeds and Jadon Sancho the other night, that’s where the squad comes into it.

“There are a lot of games coming up, starting against Barcelona. I don’t think Ten Hag was taking chances. I thought the starting line-up was more than strong enough to win the game, and rightly so.

“But Manchester United – the players, the manager and the fans – have to look at the table and if City slip up as they have done and Arsenal continue their difficult run, they have to be ready to pounce, just in case.”

Richards: Man Utd’s lack of top No 9 the difference

Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring the opener
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Marcus Rashford has scored 21 goals this season

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards says United are short of an elite striker to keep up in this season’s title race.

“Wout Weghorst is a very good player, who links the play well, but can he score enough goals to keep them in the race?” Richards told Sky Sports.

“Marcus Rashford has been excellent, but can he keep this form going towards the end of the season?

“Arsenal have got Gabriel Jesus to come back. Man City have got Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, a World Cup winner, on the bench.

“That is going to be the difference.”

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Jake

Jacob Keiter is a husband, a writer, a journalist, a musician, and a business owner. His journey to becoming a writer was one that was paved with challenges, but ultimately led him to find his true calling. Jacob's early years were marked by a strong desire for creative expression. He was always drawn to music, and in his youth, he played in several bands, chasing the elusive promise of fame and success. However, despite his best efforts, Jacob struggled to find the recognition he craved. It wasn't until he hit a low point in his life that Jacob discovered his love for writing. He turned to writing as a form of therapy during a particularly difficult time, and found that it not only helped him to cope with his struggles, but also allowed him to express himself in a way that he had never been able to before. Jacob's writing skills quickly caught the attention of others, and he soon found himself working as a journalist for The Sun out of Hummelstown. From there, he went on to contribute to a variety of publications, including the American Bee Journal and Referee Magazine. Jacob's writing style is reflective of traditional journalism, but he also infuses his work with a unique voice that sets him apart from others in his field. Despite his success as a writer, Jacob also owns another business, JJ Auto & Home, which specializes in cleaning. Jacob's commitment to excellence is evident in all of his endeavors, whether it be in his writing or in his business ventures. Today, Jacob is the author of two books and continues to inspire others through his writing. His journey to becoming a writer serves as a reminder that sometimes our darkest moments can lead us to our greatest achievements.

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