Wednesday 4 March 2015 12:17, UK
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal expects the "rat race" for Champions League qualification to go right down to the wire.
Van Gaal feels the race with Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Southampton for the last two Champions League qualification places will go to the last weekend of the season.
United are fourth in table, just two points in front of Liverpool and four ahead of Southampton, who lead Spurs by two points - although the Londoners have a game in hand.
Van Gaal agrees with Arsene Wenger's claim that the contest will still be alive when United and Arsenal take on Hull and West Brom respectively on the last weekend of the season - although he does not know whether the Arsenal manager was right when he said 72 points would be enough to secure a top-four finish.
"I don't think of how many points (it will take), but he is more experienced in the Premier League so I want to believe him," the United manager said.
I don't think of how many points (it will take) but it is going to the last week, I know that.
"But it is going to the last week, I know that."
If Wenger's estimate is right, United will have to win seven and draw one of their last 11 matches.
That will be no easy task given that they have to face five of the other six teams in the top seven before the end of the season.
The Red Devils host Spurs, Manchester City and Arsenal and they also have to travel to Chelsea and Liverpool.
Liverpool, the Gunners, Tottenham and Southampton have only three fixtures against their rivals in the top seven, but Van Gaal does not seem overly perturbed by United's upcoming games.
When asked if he thought United had the hardest run-in, he answered: "No, because you said that also in front of the games in the beginning of the season and then we were 13th, do you remember that?
"And in spite of all the games that we had in front of us we moved up to third on the 22nd of November after the game against Chelsea."
