Roy Keane has predicted who will finish higher in the top-four race between Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United by the end of the new Premier League term.
Roy Keane predicts Manchester United will finish above Arsenal in top-four race
Arsenal begin the 2022/23 Premier League campaign away to Crystal Palace on Friday, but Roy Keane has told Sky Sports he does not believe Mikel Arteta’s squad will end the season above Manchester United in the race for the top-four and Champions League qualification.
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The Red Devils icon feels his former side have the edge over the Gunners as Erik ten Hag’s team will be the stronger package. But Keane admits the Old Trafford hierarchy must add to their dressing room before the market ends on September 1 and sort their ‘little mess’.
Ten Hag is trying to put out fires at Manchester United ahead of raising the curtain against Brentford this Saturday. He has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo and several Red Devils players for their ‘unacceptable’ actions after they left the club’s friendly with Rayo Vallecano early.
Manchester United are also involved in a drawn out saga trying to sign Frenkie de Jong off Barcelona. 90min report the Red Devils agreed a £63m fee with the Blaugrana after upping their offer from £56m. But the midfielder is determined to stay at the Camp Nou this year.
Arsenal, meanwhile, will visit Crystal Palace ready to start a season Arteta will hope results in a top-four finish and Champions League qualification. The Gunners have had a smooth summer, with £45m star Gabriel Jesus shining in pre-season after leaving Manchester City.
Mikel Arteta has not done enough to avoid Erik ten Hag overturning deficit
Arteta has also welcomed £34m maestro Fabio Vieira to the Emirates Stadium, along with £32m man Oleksandr Zinchenko, £7.5m backup goalkeeper Matt Turner and £3m prospect Marquinhos. Alexandre Lacazette is also the only first-team regular to have left the club.
Yet Keane doubts Arteta has done enough to avoid Ten Hag overturning the gap between their two clubs. Arsenal edged Manchester United by 11 points to finish fifth last season, but a late collapse cost the Gunners a top-four result by two points to Tottenham Hotspur.
Champions League qualification was in Arsenal’s hands before they lost to Tottenham and Newcastle United in their final three games. And Keane predicts the new season will end in a similar way for Arteta, as he tips Manchester United to beat Arsenal in the top-four race.
“United,” Keane stated. “Arsenal got a lot of plaudits last season with their young players and got themselves in a great position, and blew it. They didn’t get the job done, they couldn’t back it up. There is something still amiss at United, as well.
“But from a footballing point of view, my head is saying if United can tidy up that little mess over the next few weeks and get one or two players over the line, then they’ll be pretty decent. United should be able to compete with Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.”
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