‘Ready to pounce’ – Keane refuses to rule Man Utd out of title race amid ‘difficult run’ for Arsenal

Roy Keane has told Manchester United “they have to be ready to pounce” on potential slip-ups from Manchester City and Arsenal.

United leapfrogged City into second in the Premier League after their win at Leeds United, though they were not there for long as the Citizens beat Aston Villa 3-1 immediately after.

Arsenal remain top of the table despite dropping points for the second weekend in a row with a controversial 1-1 draw at home to in-form Brentford.

The Gunners are only five points clear of United, but with two games in hand, as things stand.

However, ex-Red Devils captain Keane does not think the points gap, nor the games in hand, rule his former club out of the Premier League title race.

Keane has urged Erik ten Hag’s men to “pounce” on any points dropped from City or Arsenal and thinks “they are very much in with a chance”.

He told Sky Sports: “Obviously, Arsenal and City are ahead of them but what they have to do, if any of the teams above them slip up, they have to be ready to pounce.

“They won today and they have to keep the pressure on City.

“Considering the way they started the season – they had a disastrous start against Brighton and Brentford – to be where they are now, I’d say they are very much in with a chance.

“United have to keep doing what they are doing winning football matches. Yes, you can slip up the odd time, but they couldn’t afford to slip up at Leeds. Eventually, their quality did show, particularly the first goal, it was brilliant.

“But the manager mentioned it after the game, talking about the squad, players coming off the bench, Alejandro Garnacho at Leeds and Jadon Sancho the other night, that’s where the squad comes into it.

“There are a lot of games coming up, starting against Barcelona. I don’t think Ten Hag was taking chances. I thought the starting line-up was more than strong enough to win the game, and rightly so.

“But Manchester United – the players, the manager and the fans – have to look at the table and if City slip up as they have done and Arsenal continue their difficult run, they have to be ready to pounce, just in case.”

Keane’s Sky colleagues Micah Richards and Gary Neville do not think United have what it takes to win the Premier League, however.

Richards argues that they do not have a good enough player leading the line, especially in comparison to the current top two.

“Wout Weghorst is a very good player, who links the play well, but can he score enough goals to keep them in the race?” he told Sky Sports.

“Marcus Rashford has been excellent, but can he keep this form going towards the end of the season?

“Arsenal have got Gabriel Jesus to come back. Man City have got Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, a World Cup winner, on the bench.

“That is going to be the difference.”

READ MORE: Keane and Mourinho are so very wrong about Ten Hag’s brilliant but unlikely Man Utd leader