Are United really in the race for the Premier League?
WE asked three of our United experts whether the Reds can win the Premier League this season...
TYRONE MARSHALL
THEY can win it, but they probably won’t. The fact we’re even discussing United as potential title challengers is remarkable given they lost three of their first six Premier League games, but since winning at Everton they’ve been the form side in the division and they’ve made up ground very quickly.
The encouragement for the Reds is that it will probably only take 80 to 85 points to win the league this season, a major reduction on the tallies City and Liverpool have racked up in the three previous campaigns, but that would still be around a 15-point improvement on what United achieved under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last season and it’s hard to say they’ve improved that much.
This is an excellent run they’re on, but it’s not long since they were being thrashed by Tottenham and embarrassed by Istanbul Basaksehir.
It’s only two weeks since they were dumped out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig. More bad days are almost certainly around the corner.
United’s target this season had to be to close the gap on their rivals and they’re on course to do that, but dethroning Liverpool looks a difficult challenge. While City don’t look like the force of old, Jurgen Klopp’s side are four points clear despite suffering from several key injuries.
Solskjaer has rotated heavily so far this season and that could lead to a physical advantage during the run-in, while being in the Europa League will also be an (unwanted) bonus, allowing key players to be rested during the week if the title is on the line.
There’s a lot to happen before that becomes a reality, though. United need to prove their battles with consistency are behind them if they’re to be contenders rather than just pretenders.
LIAM CORLESS
UNITED have taken 19 points from their last seven league games but the idea of them lifting the title at the end of the season still seems fantastical.
In terms of points picked up, they are the league’s form team but their performances remain inconsistent and they won’t keep up their ludicrous record of winning every away game from a losing position for the remainder of the season.
Liverpool are still the best-drilled side in the league and they have a clear playing style, something which is yet to emerge at United under Solskjaer, and are the clear favourites to retain their crown.
City aren’t the force they were two years ago despite strengthening at the back, Tottenham and Chelsea have been slapped down in the build-up to Christmas, and Arsenal are Arsenal. It would be silly to write United off completely but they’ll need to keep this run going a few more games yet before they are taken seriously by the masses.
DANIEL MURPHY
WHILE United are only five points off the league leaders and still have a game in hand, talk of a genuine title challenge feels far too premature at this stage - if not just blind optimism.
The 6-2 victory over Leeds was certainly galvanising and there was some thrilling attacking play but there was nothing new in the performance that we didn’t know already.
We know United are an excellent counter attacking side with some of the best forwards in the country, when teams open up against them they can score for fun and look like world beaters. The issue is that not every team will be as welcoming at the back as Leeds and United have shown no evidence to suggest they’ve learned how to break down teams who sit deep.
It always feels as though a surprising defeat isn’t too far away and until United are dispatching all lesser teams with ruthless consistency then I don’t think they will be able to keep pace with Liverpool.