Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes insists that Erik ten Hag's team will secure a Champions League spot, surpassing Aston Villa, following their 2-1 victory at Villa Park.
Scholes is confident that Manchester United will finish above Aston Villa and Tottenham after defeating Villa 2-1 on Sunday afternoon. Erik ten Hag's team entered the match eight points behind their rivals, who began and concluded the weekend just outside the Champions League spots. However, United, positioned sixth, has now reduced the gap to five points with a late Scott McTominay goal.
Despite a challenging start to the campaign, United is only six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham as we approach the crucial stages of the season. Scholes, who spent his entire career at Old Trafford, believes that United will outperform Villa and Spurs to secure a top-four finish.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Scholes asserted: "I believed that [United would qualify for the Champions League] before the game. I always thought we had the chance. Once we got those players back - and I know I keep going on about that - it was important to get them back, especially with the blend we've got now.
"We've got some really talented young players, and United will finish above Tottenham and Villa; they'll catch them both in the end and finish fourth. The next six games are very winnable - obviously, one is against Manchester City, but who knows."
In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Ten Hag described the result as "massive" but emphasized the need to stay grounded despite defeating a top-four rival. The Dutchman stated: "It is a massive win for us. We've got closer, and that was the aim for today. That was absolutely our target, and we've done it. The way we did it, I liked it. I especially liked the first 20 minutes when we controlled the game. At 1-1, we had to fight back, and we are really happy for today.
"At 1-1, you must see how the game progresses. I think it was really high intensity, and you could see how many players were fatigued by the end." He acknowledged the remaining gap between United and the top four, stating, "I never think about negative situations. I'm thinking positively. We have to catch up, but we are not there yet.
"We are in a good mood and have to keep this process going, but there is so much space for improvement. Many games are left to play, and we will see what happens."
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