Sky Sports pundits Daniel Sturridge and Roy Keane were on different wavelengths over whether or not Manchester United will finish in the Premier League top five.
Manchester United’s form took a nosedive in the 2024-25 campaign at Old Trafford and the Red Devils suffered their worst finish in the table in the Premier League era.
"Micah, this is big boy stuff!"
Roy Keane and Micah Richards trade blows over Altay Bayındır's decision-making for Arsenal's goal… 😬 pic.twitter.com/6B0Cb5NpCH
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 17, 2025
View Tweet
The Red Devils collapsed to 15th place in the Premier League table last season and Ruben Amorim now faces the major task of turning the tide back in United’s favour.
Ruben Amorim’s men’s 2025-26 Premier League season is now underway and United kicked off their new campaign at Old Trafford against rivals Arsenal.
United fell short against Arsenal on the weekend of the Premier League campaign and the Gunners walked away with all three points from Old Trafford.
READ MORE: Wayne Rooney drops instant Benjamin Sesko debut verdict among four Man Utd stars vs Arsenal, ‘when he come on…’
Manchester United legend Roy Keane during the FA Cup match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in 2025 in London, England.
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Man Utd legend Roy Keane and Daniel Sturridge did not see eye to eye with their Sky Sports predictions for the 2025-26 season
Roy Keane was in the Sky Sports studio for punditry duties on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season alongside Daniel Sturridge and Micah Richards.
More United News
The aforementioned Sky Sports trio revealed their top five Premier League predictions for the 2025-26 campaign, with Keane leaving United out of his picks.
Keane had Arsenal as Premier League champions and Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle and Chelsea finishing second, third, fourth and fifth respectively.
Sturridge disagreed with the United legend and had Liverpool as champions, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea as second, third and fourth respectively.
However, the Sky Sports pundit, unlike Micah Richards and Keane, made the bold prediction that United would finish fifth in the Premier League table this season.
READ MORE: ‘Guaranteed penalty’… Sky Sports pundit challenges Dermot Gallagher over Man Utd being denied spot-kick vs Arsenal
Daniel Sturridge’s Man Utd Premier League prediction could hinge on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo after Arsenal defeat
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha made their Premier League debuts for the Red Devils on Sunday and the two signings impressed in United’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Sturridge insisted that he is “optimistic” about the Red Devils’ season and the performances of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha against Arsenal caught his eye.
"The expectations are so low that everyone's almost happy!"
Roy Keane still isn't convinced about Man Utd following a more encouraging defeat to Arsenal… pic.twitter.com/cIb9g3W87F
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 17, 2025
View Tweet
“These players are going to score goals for Manchester United, there is no doubt about it,” he said on Sky Sports, as per BBC Sport.
“Mbeumo and Cunha are too good not to score goals. With [Benjamin] Sesko, we have not seen much of him in the Premier League, and we don’t know how the cohesion is going to work with the other two.
“But with regards to Mbeumo and Cunha, we have seen what they have done in the past in the league and then what they did today.
“It’s going to be a long season, but I am optimistic.”
Cunha started in the left-sided No 10 role in Ruben Amorim’s United system against Arsenal, while Mbeumo was deployed on the opposite flank in the same position.