Roy Keane and Gary Neville send Man Utd reality check with warning to Erik ten Hag

Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League in midweek, beating Wolves in a seven-goal thriller to reignite their hopes of a strong second half of the season

Roy Keane and Gary Neville both believe that finishing fifth is as good as Manchester United can hope for this season.

Kobbie Mainoo's dramatic, injury-time, winner at Wolves kept United in touching distance of the top six after an extremely patchy opening half to the Premier League season. And the memorable 4-3 victory at Molineux has sparked hopes that Erik ten Hag's side could put a run of form together between now and May.

At the start of the campaign there was a thought that United could insert themselves into the title picture, having finished third and reached two cup finals in Ten Hag's maiden season in charge. But after suffering nine defeats in their opening 22 matches, they are already a distant 11 points off the top four, albeit with a game in hand.

Speaking ahead of the clash with West Ham at Old Trafford, the two Red Devils legends both suggested that a top-four spot was all but out of reach. Finishing fifth could be enough for the Champions League this season, and Keane and Neville agree that should be the overall target for the season.

Keane said: "A positive end for them this season would be finishing fifth and getting back into the Champions League if that’d be enough for them to do so.

"I think they have enough, they have one or two important players back which’ll help them balance the squad out but most importantly, they’re scoring goals again.

"They’ve been giving away sloppy goals but the fact that the attacking players are scoring, it helps them because the lack of goals was very surprising to me in the first half of the season."

Neville added: "Roy said it that fifth is the best I think they could ever possibly do. One of those teams, Aston Villa or Tottenham, would have to slip up because I don’t think they’re anywhere near Arsenal, City or Liverpool - those teams are gone."

The arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos has increased optimism at Old Trafford, with the British billionaire assuming control of the football operation from the much maligned Glazers. And Neville has warned that the new minority owners won't be afraid to dispense with Ten Hag, if they are unable to achieve their aims.

"For United and Erik ten Hag, if he wants to continue here at Man United, he’ll have to impress those above him before the end of the season," the Sky Sports pundit continued.

"INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, they’ll go into that club and be disruptive, they have to be, so I think that they’re all under pressure. They need to deliver, so much money has been spent on that squad and they’ve underachieved so much this season that it’s incredible."

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