Man Utd: 5 Reasons Why They Won't Finish In The Top Four

4. An Ageing Squad

It really says something when your best left-back is 32-year-old Patrice Evra, your best centre-back pairing have the combined age of 68 and your best midfielder is 40-year-old Ryan Giggs. Evra is over the hill and far away - bids for Leighton Baines and Fabio Coentrao were indicative of Moyes's lack of faith in the Frenchman - while Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are no longer the rock-solid defensive foundation of which much of United's past glories have been built upon. And when you'd rather have Giggs in your midfield over Nani or Ashley Young, you know you really have problems. Giggs has been a remarkable servant for the Red Devils, but when he eventually retires, there's going to be a gaping black hole in the centre of midfield, and a look at the current squad doesn't yield an obvious name who could fill it. Arsenal are top of the league because they have a youthful squad - Aaron Ramsey (22), Jack Wilshere (21) and Mesut Ozil (25) have carried them forward, while United's current crop of youngsters aren't stepping up to the plate. Tom Cleverley has had a disappointing season, Phil Jones has been in and out of the side with injuries and Danny Welbeck couldn't hit a barn door with the proverbial. And it is the lack of quality players who can one day fill the shoes of the old guard that suggest United are going to have a problematic next couple of years.