The current Premier League table will make for painful reading for Manchester United fans as we enter yet another spate of fixtures in a typically-hectic Christmas schedule. Defeat to Everton on Wednesday left the defending English champions ninth in the table and 12 points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal - perhaps more ominously, they're the same number of points off the relegation zone. Fans knew there would likely be a transitional period when Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down over the summer to be replaced by David Moyes, but many wouldn't have imagined they'd be down to mid-table by December. These are indeed worrying times for the Red Devils - out of the title race, say some, the end of a dynasty, warn others. Indeed, even the most cursory of glances at the league table tells us qualifying for next season's Champions League is a more realistic target for United this season than retaining their title. But, such is the current state of affairs at Old Trafford, there is even a concern the Red Devils won't finish in the top four of the table, and we tend to agree. Here, we take a look at 5 Reasons Why United Won't Finish In The Top Four.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
