Ben Foster predicts where Manchester United will be in the Premier League after Boxing Day fixtures

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Manchester United are into sixth place in the Premier League table after the team’s latest victory at the weekend.

With four Premier League wins over the past five games, Manchester United are the most in-form team in the division, somewhat remarkably.

At the weekend Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea all dropped points, and despite the football being difficult to watch at times, Erik ten Hag‘s Red Devils are now just five points off the top four, right in the mix.

After the international break, United have a tricky run of fixtures, with away games in December against Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham.

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Ben Foster on Manchester United fixtures

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster believes Manchester United will still be in the mix for the top four in a few week’s time, but not quite amongst it.

Foster spoke to The United Stand’s YouTube channel and was quizzed on his thoughts where Erik ten Hag’s side would be after the Boxing Day fixture at home to Aston Villa.

He responded: “It wouldn’t surprise me if they are still there or thereabouts. I’d worry about trying to get into the top four though.

“Some of those games are really, tricky, away fixtures especially. We see United’s away form is not fantastic either. Some of those games do worry me.

“United have won seven games this season and the majority have been against teams in the bottom five or six.”

Manchester United’s upcoming league fixtures

Here is a look at the Premier League games Manchester United will face after the international break.

• 26th November 2023: Everton vs Manchester United
• 2nd December 2023: Newcastle United vs Manchester United
• 6th December 2023: Manchester United vs Chelsea
• 9th December 2023: Manchester United vs Bournemouth
• 17th December 2023: Liverpool vs Manchester United
• 23rd December 2023: West Ham vs Manchester United
• 26th December 2023: Manchester United vs Aston Villa

All of these games are very tricky, with the possible exception of Bournemouth at home, which United will probably make hard work of anyhow.

Last season United beat Chelsea 4-1 at home, pretty easily, but Mauricio Pochettino’s team are now looking competitive and that game now looks difficult.

United lost at Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham last season, failing to score a single goal across all three matches.

With two tricky Champions League ties mixed in too, this is going to be a difficult run.

If Foster’s prediction is right, and United come through this fairly unscathed, still around five points off the top four like we are now, that won’t be a bad thing, it will leave us in the mix.

You’d have to be very optimistic to expect us to climb into the top four during this run, but let’s see. It’s more likely we end Boxing Day further adrift than we are now.