Liverpool legend John Aldridge knows Manchester United can end their top four hopes today.

Aldridge wrote for the Sunday World: "United have a chance to hammer a final nail into Liverpool's miserable season this afternoon — and I bet their fans are relishing that unlikely prospect.

"If any football observer had predicted mid-way through last season that a United side led by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be heading into the final five games of this season 13 points clear of Liverpool, they'd have been laughed at.

"Add in the reality that United can effectively end Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League by beating Jurgen Klopp's men at Old Trafford today and it's a scenario that was impossible to envisage as Liverpool won the Premier League title by a mile last season.

"I have to give credit to Solskjaer for putting together a decent season with United, as I am not the only sceptic who believed he would come up short in his mission at the club.

"A second-place finish and Europa League success would have to be viewed as a good campaign for United, even though I still believe they are a team with big flaws in their make-up.

"As for Liverpool, I don't see how they can be rescued from the hole they have dug for themselves over the last few months and we need to take out some of the excuses for their slide here and now."