For Manchester United, a Premier League title is already out of the question in the season, but the Red Devils can still surge and earn a ticket to the Champions League if they can bump off the No. 4 team in the table. With only three points separating United and Chelsea, the former can still overtake the latter.
At the moment, the Premier League table shows that the three teams under the leader Liverpool are with points that United can still catch up on mathematically. It is, however, Chelsea that appears the most vulnerable with a lead that the Red Devils can erase with a win.
And lately, winning seems not a problem for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side as the last five matches resulted in two victories, including a 2-0 thrashing of the Blues last week. In contrast, Frank Lampard's squad suffered losses in a row, and the fact that Chelsea failed to score during those defeats does bode well for the team.
It can be said that United is on a roll, and unless Lampard steers Chelsea to a win for the next match, the Blues will likely slide. It is an opening that Solskjaer cannot pass up.
If United will continue on the form that the side displayed in the last two wins, climbing to No. 4 will not be a problem for the team, according to Mark Bosnich, who played as keeper for both the Red Devils and Chelsea.
"For fourth place I think it will be a toss-up between Chelsea and Manchester United, and I think Manchester United will pip it in the end," Manchester Evening News reported the Australian as saying.
Bosnich also pointed out that it is, in fact, a close race for the fourth place as even Burnley at No. 10 will only need seven points to Chelsea a scare.
The odds though favor United as Bosnich said he is convinced the club will continue to surge, boldly predicting that: "Manchester United just might squeeze into that fourth place just above Chelsea."
United's fate will be determined by the games in the coming weeks. More wins for Solskjaer could secure the club's spot in the most prestigious competition in Europe. On the other hand, Chelsea not recovering from the losses suffered recently will only make things easier for United.
Of note, the recent ban from the Champions League imposed on Manchester City could serve as a boost for United. It would mean that even if Solskjaer's side will only finish at No. 5, the club will still be in.
However, Bosnich said this is something that should not distract United. The focus has to be on playing good games and winning.
"Forget about all the Manchester City stuff [UEFA ban] because I think that will be reversed," Metro reported the former goalkeeper as saying.
