Gary Neville believes Manchester United can secure a third-place finish in the Premier League, while Jamie Carragher insists they're "guaranteed" Champions League football. The duo's optimism follows United's unbeaten run under Michael Carrick, including a 1-0 win at Everton where Benjamin Sesko's late goal proved crucial. Despite inconsistent performances, Neville argues United's lack of European distractions gives them an edge over rivals like Aston Villa, which has European commitments.

Carragher echoes this, citing Villa's Thursday-night Europa League matches as a liability. However, Opta's supercomputer predicts United will finish fifth, trailing Villa (86.4% CL chance) and Liverpool (48.1%). With England likely securing top-two UEFA coefficients, a fifth-place finish would still likely guarantee Champions League return.

The debate hinges on whether United's recent form can sustain against Villa's European fatigue and Liverpool's FA Cup/Europa League dual focus.