Manchester United must beat Watford and Arsenal before facing Man City, says Gary Neville

Manchester United must beat Watford this week and follow that up with victory over Arsenal, Gary Neville has warned.

After those games, Jose Mourinho’s side face table-toppers Manchester City at Old Trafford.

With the gap between the Manchester clubs currently eight points, and Man City likely to take maximum points between now and the game on December 10, Neville says the Red Devils can’t afford to fall further behind.

‘United should not be further away by the time that game comes around in two weeks,’ the former defender told Sky Sports.

‘Man Utd have got Watford away on Tuesday night before Arsenal on Saturday, while Man City have West Ham and Southampton at home in those two matches.

‘So at this moment in time, if you’re Man Utd going into that game in two weeks’ time and you are still eight points away, I think they would be really happy because they’ve got two very tough games. Man City on paper, with the way they’ve been playing, you think would get the six points.

‘At the moment, the pressure is all on the other teams because the other teams have to get close to Man City and that’s the real problem. I think for United, they have to win at Watford and Arsenal.’

If the gap was eight points when they meet, a win for Manchester United against Pep Guardiola’s team has the capacity to change the course of the season, says Neville.

‘You have to retain hope if you’re Man Utd and think that something could happen in a couple of weeks’ time in that Manchester derby that could start a run of results that will put doubt in Man City’s mind, that’s the only way United can be thinking.

‘They have to make sure they stay close enough to Man City because it won’t be complacency that costs this Man City team, but it could be pressure as it builds through December, January, February if another team can get close to them.’

If Manchester United are to overtake Man City and win the Premier League title, one thing is simple.

‘They certainly have to beat Man City themselves,’ says Neville.

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