Man Utd out of the top-four race with 'flat' Leicester draw, says Neville

Manchester United's hopes of sealing Champions League football are all but over following their draw with Leicester City on Saturday, says Gary Neville, with the former defender believing they are now out of the top-four race.

Fred rescued a point in a particularly anonymous display from the Red Devils at Old Trafford against the Foxes, to slip three points off fourth-placed Arsenal, with the in-form Gunners holding two games in hand over their rivals.

With Tottenham level with United and with an extra match to play too, the likelihood of securing top-tier European football looks like it could be a bridge too far at the Theatre of Dreams now, and Neville concurs that their hopes may be out of reach.

What has been said?

"I think so," Neville said when asked if United's top-four prospects were over. "The run-in started today following the international break. They had to start it with a win but they didn't get it. It was the way they drew the game - that was really bad out there today.

"Sometimes, teams can look a bit rusty when they come back but I thought the break would work for United as I thought it would be good for players to get away from the club and then come back and give it a right go.

"This is going to be a long two months for those United players and fans. It's going to be difficult in their remaining eight matches if they continue in that vein of form. It was so flat."

United's dismal year continues

After coming second in the Premier League last term and narrowly missing out on the Europea League following a marathon penalty shootout, the Red Devils had been expected to challenge this term, particularly with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to the fold.

But instead they stuttered across the first half of the season, leading to Ole Gunner Solskjaer's dismissal and the arrival of Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis through the end of the season.

The German has failed to dramatically improve matters at Old Trafford, and now the club are facing another run through Europe's second-tier competition, coupled with a potential exodus of superstars in the summer.

Further Reading

• Lingard not subbed on vs Leicester because he was vomiting - Rangnick
Why Pogba started in attack instead of Rashford
Leicester draw shows mediocre Man Utd don't belong in UCL