Manchester United have won three in a row in the Premier League but Emile Heskey believes they are still a long way from being considered top-four contenders.
Manchester United will be hoping to continue their recent Premier League form following three successive wins, but Liverpool legend Emile Heskey believes Manchester United are not a realistic challenger for finishing above eighth place.
Victories against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton have boosted morale within the team and they now face a difficult away game against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. The East Midlands side suffered their first league defeat under new manager Sean Dyche, losing 2-0 to powerhouse Bournemouth last weekend.
United have shown encouraging signs of improvement under manager Ruben Amorim, having won three in a row for the first time since May-August 2024. They occupy sixth place in the table and a positive atmosphere has returned to Old Trafford.
read more: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s personal position on two Reuben Amorim replacements revealedread more: Manchester United’s prediction stunned people but I honestly think they can do it
Despite this, Heskey believes United’s immediate aim is to seal a top-eight spot in the Premier League. Regarding his recent turnaround, Heskey told Dream Vegas: “He (Amorim) has adapted to the way we need to play against Liverpool, so he seems to understand the team a little bit more, the players a little bit more, the league a little bit more.”
“I don’t think they’ll sack him because I believe they see something in him that they believe is long-term. The next step is probably the top eight and then it’s just to keep the pedal to the metal and keep moving up the table to where they believe a club like Manchester United should be.”
“They should eventually challenge for the top four, but they are far from there at the moment. The next step is the top eight and then the top six. I think it’s been a successful season for me.”
Amorim has been under constant scrutiny throughout his time at Old Trafford, but three important wins appear to have temporarily put to rest any doubts about his role.
“It’s been a big journey,” Amorim said of his first year in office. “It was tough, it was really tough, there were good moments and there were bad moments.
“I learned a lot of really important things. I learned that even when I’m down, I can still stick to what I believe in. That’s a good thing that everyone can understand. The answer today is different than it was three weeks ago.”
“It’s been one of the greatest honors of my life to be here and I hope to be here for many years to come.” United’s visit to Forest will mark one year since Amorim took over as manager from Erik ten Hag.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily Manchester United content from Mirror Football. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
