Jason McAteer believes that a Manchester United title push is not sustainable in the long-term and expects them to fall off the pace before May arrives.

McAteer made the point to Ger Gilroy of OTB Sports on Friday evening while previewing the monster clash between rivals Liverpool and United this Sunday.

"Do I think United are better than Liverpool and City, even throw Spurs into that mix? No, I do not," McAteer said.

"Will they win the league? I think they will falter, they will pick up injuries. I do not think what they are doing [currently] is sustainable.

"I just think there are better teams than Manchester United."

McAteer is impressed with how Solskjaer and his players have bounced back from adversity this season, however he feels the present situation in the world has contributed to United leading the Premier League pack.

"Everything is false at the minute," said McAteer.

"Football is false, the way we are living is false. We are looking to the future to get back to normality. This is not what we are used to and going forward it is not what it is going to be like.

"Football is no different."

'Manchester United have been lucky with injuries'

Solskjaer has navigated difficult waters during his time as manager at Old Trafford.

In recent months a devastating exit from the Champions League at the hands of Red Bull Leipzig left many wondering if the Norwegian would be facing the axe.

Since then, United are unbeaten in their previous seven league games, picking up five wins and two draws in the process.

Manchester United's Paul Pogba celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Turf Moor, Burnley.

They have impressed of late despite the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City. McAteer feels that United have benefited from luck on the injury front.

"I honestly thought Ole was two or three games away from being sacked. Mauricio Pochettino was available, Massimiliano Allegri was available.

"I was hearing whispers that Poch was being spoken to and I was expecting it to happen.

"Ole has turned it around and United are doing what they are doing.

"If you look right through the spine of the team, David de Gea has been fit, Harry Maguire has been fit, Bruno Fernandes has been fit.

"They have been very, very lucky when it has come to injuries."

(Clive Brunskill/Pool via AP)

To United's credit, they have beaten the teams in front of them and they will be looking to build that momentum against Liverpool.

Can they add consistency to their repertoire?

McAteer is not so sure.

"I just do not see it with Manchester United. I think if they lose Fernandes, they lose Maguire and another couple of players in big positions they will be in trouble."

Liverpool's injury woes eclipse Manchester United's

One team that has struggled extensively with injuries throughout this league campaign is Liverpool.

Long-term injuries to Virgil Van Djik and Joe Gomez have been compounded by sporadic absences of key players like Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah amongst others.

This has contributed to the normally reliable Liverpool being below par this season.

Although one could argue that they are still in a favourable position to retain their league crown despite the difficulties they have faced.

"Any team would miss arguably the best centre half in the world," McAteer said.

"The flip side to that is you have to accommodate that with another centre-half.

"When you take Henderson and Fabinho, two influential players, central midfielders, out of their positions and drop them deeper you lose something from the engine room.

"We have been chopping and changing in the engine room, we have been doing the same at centre-half.

"We have had to deal with plenty of injuries to big players at big moments," McAteer concluded.

Liverpool host Manchester United at Anfield this Sunday from 4.30pm. Follow live commentary of the top of the table clash on the OTB Sports app - Brian Kerr will be alongside Nathan Murphy.

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