I wouldn't rule Manchester United out of Premier League top-four race - but one thing must happen

Manchester United have been told what must happen if they want to finish in the the top four of the Premier League this season.

United have had a disappointing start to the season and are currently in 12th place after taking 11 points from their first eight games. Erik ten Hag's side claimed a 2-1 win over Brentford in their most recent outing to end a run of five matches without a win in all competitions.

Ten Hag be will hoping to close the gap to the top-four when they face West Ham United in the Premier League this weekend. The Reds are already six points adrift of the Champions League places, with fourth currently occupied by Aston Villa on 17 points.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are expected to be the clubs that will occupy the top three spots in the league table, based on their performances last season. That will leave one more spot in the top-four, and it remains to be seen if United will be able to close the gap across their 30 remaining league fixtures.

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Ten Hag's side will be competing with the likes of Chelsea, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Newcastle for fourth place. Former Premier League defender Glen Johnson believes United have a chance to finish in the top-four, but only if one thing was to happen.

"I wouldn't say that they don’t have a chance because they're two fantastic sides with fantastic players, but they’re both just waiting for the penny to drop," Johnson told Betfred when asked about United and Tottenham's chances of finishing in the Champions League places.

"They're both capable of