Manchester United can still catch Chelsea says Gary Pallister

Manchester United legend Gary Pallister does not think the gap between his former club and Premier League leaders Chelsea is 'insurmountable'. The former United defender believes supporters at Old Trafford are confident Jose Mourinho's men can hunt down Chelsea, given their immaculate recent form.

"It is not an insurmountable lead," said Pallister, speaking exclusively to 888sport. "Newcastle let go of a 12-point lead to us. I've been involved in a team that was 11 points ahead of Arsenal at Christmas and lost the title. It's not done and dusted yet, we're only halfway through, and the way United are playing right now has made the fans confident we can continue this run and close the gap."

United have won their last nine matches in a row and are hot on the heels of the top four. Mourinho's men lie in sixth, just three points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth, and could cut the deficit further with a win over bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

Pallister believes the clash with Jurgen Klopp's men will be a good barometer of the progress United have made under Mourinho. The Merseysiders are currently five points ahead of their North West rivals, but have been slightly stuttering in recent weeks, winning just one of their last four matches in all competitions. Pallister, who won four Premier League titles during his nine-year spell with United, still believes the game between the two clubs is the biggest fixture in English football.

"This game against Liverpool is massive because it will reveal where Manchester United are right now. It will be interesting to see if we do put pressure on them and let our attacking flair dominate. It will be an intriguing game and it will tell both clubs where they might finish at the end of the season. This is still the biggest game on the fixture list."

Read the full 888sport interview with Gary Pallister, including his thoughts on how Rooney can prolong his career and how Mourinho has solved United's early season problems.