Manchester United: Predicting Results for the Red Devils' Final 5 Games

Manchester United have sauntered to the Premier League title this season, after their two main rivals for the honour, Chelsea and Manchester City, systematically imploded as the season progressed.

But a less than impressive display against West Ham United on Wednesday evening, which saw them escape London with a 2-2 draw, showed that they’re still fallible in certain areas of the field.

Still, the Red Devils only need to amass six more points to confirm the capture of their 20th domestic triumph.

So, with only five games left, when will United finally lay their hands on the trophy that they feel is rightfully theirs?

Here are my predictions for Manchester United’s final results.

Manchester United 2-0 Aston Villa, Monday 22nd April

Aston Villa have improved vastly over the last few weeks, and Christian Benteke’s goals have shot them out of the relegation zone and left their fans dreaming that survival is on the horizon.

But a victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford is still out of their reach.

With only the title to play for, Ferguson will surely play his strongest starting 11 in every encounter from now until its return is confirmed.

Villa’s team is still remarkably young, so the guile and deadliness of United’s squad will be able to pick apart their naivety. 

Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United, Sunday 28th April

If United beat Aston Villa, a victory against Arsenal the following Sunday at the Emirates stadium would wrap up the title.

Gunners fans often sing about their success at Old Trafford in 2002, which saw them claim the Premier League on their enemies’ soil, and United would love to repay their faithful by doing the same.

However, Arsene Wenger’s men are still pining for a top-four place, and you can expect them to put in a battling performance to prove that they’re still a force to be reckoned with.

I can see this ending in a stalemate, which would mean that United only need one point from their last three games to win the league.

Manchester United 1-2 Chelsea, Sunday 5th May

Chelsea have proved to be a worthy adversary for Manchester United over the season.

United only escaped with three points from Stamford Bridge in October after the Blues were reduced to nine men and Javier Hernandez scored from an offside position.

They were then knocked out of the FA Cup by Benitez’s men after Chelsea performed a miraculous comeback in the original tie.

Once again, Chelsea are embroiled in an intense race to finish in the top four, and the likes of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard are likely to flourish at Old Trafford, where United like to take the game to their visitors.

Plus United always like to make it hard for themselves, don’t they?

It might end up being a replay of Chelsea’s 2-1 victory in Manchester in April 2010.

Manchester United 4-0 Swansea, Sunday 12th May

Despite a draw and a defeat in their last two games, United would still only need one more point from their last two games to win the title, and you can expect them to pick up all three against Michael Laudrup’s already contented Swansea.

Having claimed the League Cup back in February, Laudrup’s first season in South Wales has already been a success, and at the moment they haven’t claimed a victory in four games and are sauntering to the end of the campaign.

Ferguson’s side will look to take advantage of their malaise, and in doing so they will clinch the title. 

West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Manchester United, Sunday 19th May

This game will hardly affect the Premier League table or records, as West Bromwich Albion will still, almost certainly, finish in the top 10 and United’s pursuit of a record-breaking points total will have at this point dissipated.

Ferguson might even give some of the young blood a run out. And could this be the last time that Wayne Rooney ever dons the red of United?

Just in case it is, I’ll say that he’ll grab a double before, at the end of the game, he goes over to United’s away fans and tearfully throws his shirt into the masses.