Manchester United's Run-in Records

With just 10 games left in the Barclays Premier League, the race for the top four is tighter than ever and Manchester United fans will agree that every point counts from hereon. Encouragingly, the Reds have an admirable record when approaching the finish line.

Based on the final 10 games of all 22 Premier League seasons, United have registered an average of 21 points from the possible 30. Add that tally to the 53 points which Louis van Gaal's men currently have on the board and UEFA Champions League football would return to Old Trafford next season. We base that assumption on another average - 69 points required to finish fourth.

Of course, football is never just a matter of simple maths and averages don't take into account the teams on your fixture list. Sunday’s home clash with Tottenham Hotspur is the first hurdle in a challenging run of matches that also pits United against Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. The sequence of games will test the squad's quality and resolve, but Marouane Fellaini, for one, sees it as an opportunity to take control of the situation.

"It will be a big battle because a lot of teams want to play in the Champions League and the gaps between each team are very close, so we have to finish very strongly,” the Belgian told MUTV and United Review. “Playing the teams that are around you is a positive because it means you can take points off them. We have 10 games left to play and we have to try to win every one of them because Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal are all up there.”

The dream achievement for the remaining 10 games would be a maximum 30 points. It might sound outlandish but two clubs have done it in the Premier League era, including United. The Reds actually rounded off 1999/2000 with 11 straight wins to claim the title and finish 18 points clear of closest challengers Arsenal. Being above the Gunners this time might not bring any silverware, but it would almost certainly mean that van Gaal's debut season had delivered on a significant objective - taking United back into Europe.

United's final 10 fixtures

15/03/15: Tottenham Hotspur (H)
22/03/15: Liverpool (A)
04/04/15: Aston Villa (H)
12/04/15: Manchester City (H)
18/04/15: Chelsea (A)
26/04/15: Everton (A)
02/05/15: West Bromwich Albion (H)*
09/05/15: Crystal Palace (A)*
16/05/15: Arsenal (H)*
24/05/15: Hull City (A)

*Date of fixture subject to change

Credit: manutd.com