"I don't trust Arsenal fully" - Gary Neville on Manchester United's top-four chances after derby defeat

Football pundit Gary Neville believes Manchester United can still post a top-four finish in the Premier League despite facing stiff competition from Arsenal.

The Red Devils were handed an embarrassing 4-1 defeat against derby rivals Manchester City last night (March 6) at the Etihad Stadium. Earlier in the day, the Gunners held on to seal a 3-2 win away to Watford to move into fourth place in the league standings.

Mikel Arteta's side now sit a point ahead of Ralf Rangnick's men and have three matches in hand over the latter. Though the Gunners seem to be in the driver's seat for a top-four finish, Neville believes United still have a fighting chance.

He told Sky Sports (as quoted by the Daily Mail):

"I still think United could do it (get fourth place). I don't trust Arsenal fully. Manchester United have still got to go to Arsenal, there's a long way to go. United have got to beat Tottenham next week."

It is worth noting that the Gunners' three games in hand are all tricky fixtures. They face Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea away from home and will take on Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

However, it is worth noting that Arsenal have lost just once in their last 10 league games. They have had a couple of streaks of four consecutive wins in those games on either side of a loss and a drawn game.

Additionally, their fanbase had plenty of reasons to cheer over the weekend. Apart from United's thrashing at the hands of Manchester City, both West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers also suffered defeats. Out of the teams in the race for the top four, only Spurs are yet to play. They will take on Frank Lampard's Everton tonight (March 7).

---

Arsenal's match against Manchester United in April could prove to be pivotal in top four race

Both Arsenal and Manchester United have plenty of tricky fixtures to get through as the Premier League approaches its business end.

The Gunners will still have to travel to Stamford Bridge, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the London Stadium. They will also face an upbeat Newcastle United side at St. James' park before the end of the campaign.

The Red Devils, on the other hand, are yet to play Liverpool at Anfield, Chelsea and Tottenham at home. However, they have a marginally more favorable fixture list to close out the season, which will see them host the likes of Norwich City and Brentford. It is worth noting, however, that they are still active in the UEFA Champions League.

The headline fixture will undoubtedly be on April 23 when Arsenal host Manchester United. Both teams will have more clarity on their top-four ambitions by then and it promises to be a pivotal clash in the final leg of the league season.