MANCHESTER UNITED legend Gary Neville believes his old club are ‘sleepwalking’ into a fight just to finish in the top four.
The Red Devils’ slim title hopes were effectively ended last night as they were held to a goalless draw at Crystal Palace.
The drab affair, which was livened up by an x-rated argument between Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire, was their third straight stalemate and left them 14 points behind neighbours and Premier League leaders Man City.
However, the result also saw them spurn the chance to stretch their lead over third-placed Leicester, who remain a point behind them after they drew 1-1 at Burnley earlier in the night.
United head to in-form City on Sunday, with Neville fearing a defeat could see them dragged into a race to qualify for the Champions League.
He told Sky Sports: “Manchester United have been worse in this second half than the first.
“Going to the Etihad on Sunday they have put themselves under pressure.
“I just get the feeling watching United that they are sleepwalking into a top four race when it could be so much more comfortable for them. They have dropped so many points in these last few weeks.
“They are so lethargic, there is no urgency, I am expecting them to throw the kitchen sink at it.
“It is almost like they think it is OK to draw this game, that they don’t see the danger of doing so.”
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Neville continued: “If they lose at Etihad and results go against them there will be teams all in and around them.
“There is not a lot of fight out there, they just look like they want the game to end. They have been sleepwalking through this game. Poor, really poor.”
United are currently seven and eight points above Chelsea and Liverpool, who currently sit fifth and sixth respectively.
And Neville believes bosses Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp will take encouragement from United’s ‘leggy’ display.
He added: “We know fans aren’t in the stadium and we know there’s been a lot of football, but they did really look lethargic tonight and well off it.
“The body language just looked really drained. I thought progress in the last few weeks had been made and it gave me a sense that they would cement that second place by picking up three points at places like Crystal Palace and against Sheffield United and West Brom.
“But they are now making it really hard for themselves. If you are Liverpool and Chelsea watching that tonight you are thinking ‘we are in with a right chance because they looked leggy’.
“Manchester United have got to find something from somewhere. There was no sort of urgency at the end of the game.
“You expect United to be throwing everything at it, but not even some of the young lads who came on tried to do something and take a risk and win the game.
“But maybe there was a fear that Crystal Palace would go on counter-attacks. It was not a good night, and you cannot have too many performances like that.
“I have said in the past when Louis van Gaal was the manager or Jose Mourinho was the manager, you can win, you can lose, you can draw, but you cannot be boring, and that was boring tonight watching that.”
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