Mourinho singles out Arsenal and Liverpool as rivals for top four finish

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho identified Liverpool and Arsenal as his side's chief rivals for a top four finish in the English Premier League and qualification for next season's Uefa Champions League.

Jose Mourinho (left) and Pep Guardiola clashed as managers while they were in charge of Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain. Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

United drew 0-0 at Manchester City on Thursday night to remain fifth with 64 points. City are fourth with 65 points and both sides have five games left.

But Mourinho believes Liverpool, who are two points above United in third having played a game more, and Arsenal, four points below them having played a game less, are now their direct competitors.

"I think Man City is going to finish top four," Mourinho said. "The matches they have to play, I see them doing that. I think it's between us, Arsenal and Liverpool."

While United's run-in features successive trips to Arsenal and second-place Tottenham Hotspur, City's appears kinder with a home game with mid table West Bromwich Albion their most arduous test.

United have been hit by injuries and will now be without midfielder Marouane Fellaini for three games after he was shown an 84th-minute red card for headbutting Sergio Aguero.

Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are all sidelined and Timothy Fosu-Mensah picked up an injury after coming on in place of Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

With a two-legged Europa League semi-final against Celta Vigo also looming, Mourinho admitted his squad is being stretched to its limits.

"We have played 18 more matches than Liverpool," said the Portuguese, whose side equalled the club record of 24 successive top flight games without defeat.

"Eighteen more matches is like half of a Premier League season, almost. Eighteen matches are many miles in the players' legs. So if you can say that, it's an unfair fight.

"But we are going for that. We have the semi-final on Thursday. We have a match at home to Swansea City on Sunday at noon. The guys have an amazing spirit and here we go again."