Man Utd Top-four Quest Faces Leicester Test

Manchester United will be bidding to give their top-four hopes a boost when they welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford in the Premier League this evening. The Red Devils are currently sixth on the log, four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand, while Leicester sit 10th, 14 points behind their opponents this weekend

Manchester United have not been in action since suffering a 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League on March 15, which saw them lose 2-1 on aggregate, but the Red Devils cannot afford to dwell on the disappointment, as they bid to salvage a top-four finish in the league.

Ralf Rangnick’s side recorded a 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in their last league match on March 12, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting three times, but the 20-time English champions are playing catch up, currently sitting sixth in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.

The Gunners also have a match in hand, while Tottenham and West Ham United are also firmly in the picture, meaning that Man United face a serious scrap to secure Champions League football for next season.

Over the international break, the club have been working behind the scenes, interviewing Ajax’s Erik ten Hag over the managerial position, but missing out on the Champions League for next season would be a huge blow when it comes to their plans for the summer transfer window.

A busy April will see the Red Devils take on Leicester, Everton, Norwich City, Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League, but the absence of European football means that Rangnick should be able to keep his players fresh, and it will be fascinating to see how the campaign finishes for the club.

Leicester, meanwhile, were expected to again be top-four challengers in the Premier League this season, but they have been well short of that standard in 2021-22, currently sitting down in 10th spot in the table.

The Foxes are 10 points off eighth-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers heading into this weekend’s fixtures, but they have three games in hand on both Wolves and seventh-placed West Ham, and it would be a surprise if they were unable to finish in the top half of the table.

Leicester are also fighting for European silverware this term, having overcome Rennes to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, and they will take on PSV Eindhoven over two legs next month.

Brendan Rodgers side entered the international break off the back of a 2-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League and will be bidding to record their 11th Premier League victory of the campaign this weekend.

Leicester have the fourth-worst away record in the Premier League this season, but they have won their last three matches against the Red Devils in all competitions, including a 4-2 victory at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League back in October.

With 16 places and 47 points separating them on the Premier League table, Liverpool and Watford resume top-flight action with today’s lunchtime kickoff at Anfield.

The second-placed Reds find themselves just one point behind Manchester City at the summit, while Roy Hodgson’s side are three points adrift of safety in 18th.

Only a couple of months after Liverpool had seemingly conceded the crown to Man City once again, we have a title race on our hands, and Jurgen Klopp’s side are showing no signs of faltering as they continue their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple.

Diogo Jota’s close-range effort against Nottingham Forest saw Liverpool advance to the semi-finals of the FA Cup just before the international break – with the FA controversially refusing to move the fixture from Wembley despite travel disruption – and there is the small matter of next week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg with Benfica to come as well.

With their only defeat in any competition since the turn of the year being that inconsequential loss to Inter Milan on their own turf, Liverpool are now within touching distance of Man City at the summit before the two heavyweights meet in a mouthwatering showdown on April 10 and would go top with a win here for at least a couple of hours before the champions meet Burnley.

It is now nine Premier League victories in a row for this rampant Liverpool outfit – who have kept clean sheets in each of their last four in the top flight and have scored 23 in their sparkling winning run – and Anfield is not often a happy hunting ground for visiting teams.

Indeed, Klopp’s crop welcome Watford to Merseyside having won each of their last nine Premier League games at Anfield – where they are unbeaten domestically for over a year – and their tally of seven home goals conceded this term is unlikely to worsen against the goal-shy Hornets.

Roy Hodgson’s stint in the home dugout at Anfield may have been incredibly short-lived, but the 74-year-old is no stranger to taking his spot in the visiting end, and he may just have uncovered a hidden gem in his side’s fight against the drop.

A couple of weeks on from his stunning yet inconsequential bicycle kick against Arsenal, Cucho Hernandez was at the double for Watford to propel them to a crucial 2-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s, with the Hornets holding on for the entire second half.

Hernandez has had to be patient for his opportunities in black and yellow but has certainly staked his claim for a regular first-team role now – Colombia could have done with him after missing out on a spot in the World Cup – but Watford’s survival destiny is still out of their own hands.

Indeed, Hodgson’s side remain below the dotted line in 18th and sit three points adrift of 17th-placed Everton – who have two games in hand – but a record of just two defeats from their last seven league games away from home is a cause for slight optimism.

However, Liverpool produced a five-star showing to thrash their upcoming opponents 5-0 at Vicarage Road back in October, and Watford are on a six-game Premier League losing run at Anfield since a 1-0 win in August 1999.