Former Liverpool star Steve Nicol believes Chelsea will pip Manchester United in the race for the final Champions League spot in the Premier League, as a result of the signing of Gonzalo Higuain.
The Blues returned to fourth in the league table following their 5-0 thrashing of bottom-placed Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge on Saturday in the Premier League.
Higuain, who joined Chelsea on a loan deal until the end of the season in January, netted his first two goals for the club, as he bagged a brace on his full league debut at home for the club.
And despite Manchester United muscling their way into the race for a top four finish, Nicol feels that Chelsea will still end up securing Champions League football for next season due to the arrival of Higuain.
The former Liverpool defender also admitted that although the Red Devils have enjoyed a stellar start to life under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, they will face sterner tests that could prove detrimental in the coming weeks.
“I’m going to say Chelsea [will finish just ahead of Manchester United in fourth], just because of the Higuain signing”, Nicol said on the ESPN FC show.
“Everything that Manchester United have touched turned to gold, but that isn’t going to last forever.
"They are going to have to face some adversity eventually.
“Chelsea may have faced the adversity that they are going to, yes, I’m not a huge fan of what [Maurizio] Sarri has been doing off the field but, I think on the field he’s still got a lot of quality.
“And I think the signing of Higuain will just be the edge that keeps them ahead of Manchester United [in the race for Champions League football next season].”
Chelsea, who are just two points ahead of Manchester United at the moment, will next face Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.
