Liverpool will beat Manchester United in race for top four, says Jamie Carragher

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has backed his former club to beat Manchester United to a place in the top four at the end of the current campaign.

The Merseyside club had a tough start to the season and in December, it was difficult to predict if the Reds would make it back to the Champions League for another season. They were on the eighth spot and eight points behind arch rivals Manchester United.

However, the Anfield outfit have had an upturn in form, which has seen them go on a 10-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League and are currently on sixth spot, just two points behind United who are placed fourth on the table.

The former Reds defender, who currently works as a TV pundit has changed his stance after initially dismissing Liverpool for a place in the top four. He now believes that it is Liverpool in the driving seat to book a place in next season's Champions League.

"I have said for the last few weeks I didn't think Liverpool would get into the top four because of their FA Cup and European commitments and I felt Manchester United would," Carragher said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

"I don't know if people are saying Man United are not playing well, they're out of form or whether that's just how Manchester United are playing this season under Louis van Gaal."

"The fact that they've dropped points can happen, they've been on a great run, but Liverpool are coming into great form," the former Reds defender added.

The bitter rivals will meet in the Premier League on 22 March, a game Carragher believes will most likely determine which of the two clubs will get a top-four slot.

United had also been on a good run in recent weeks, but suffered a setback on Saturday as they lost to Swansea City allowing their rivals to close in on them. This has prompted the ex-Red star to pick his former side over the 20-time English champions.

"I think a lot will be decided in the game [between the two sides] at Anfield and I'd have to fancy Liverpool to win that game with the form both teams are in," the Englishman added.

"Whether the accumulation of games will be a factor for Liverpool, who knows?"

"But that game at Anfield will have a massive bearing on it and I'd have to fancy Liverpool at the moment," Carragher concluded.

Apart from the two North West rivals, London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham along with Southampton are also in the race for a place in the top four.