Legend Robbo backs United gaffer

BRYAN ROBSON knows what it’s like to endure barren titlewinning years at Manchester United.

England and United’s Captain Marvel spent 12 years at Old Trafford struggling to land the Holy Grail before the Reds finally ended a tortuous 26-year run without the title that stretched back to 1967 – the heyday of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton.

And while he’s hoping the current record of six years without the crown won’t turn into 26 as in his day – Robbo (right) admits he can’t rule out United suffering prolonged years in the wilderness while others lift the trophy.

Dismal

“It’s always possible that you can go on a run of many years without winning the league. Both United and Liverpool have experienced that,” says Robson.

“I always think things go in a cycle and now we are in a spell where we haven’t won the title for six years. For a club like United who have become used to success in the league that’s hard to take, especially for the supporters.

“But I know from being on the preseason tour in Australia and Asia that everyone at the club is working hard to build the squad and hopefully get a bit more from the existing players.

“If that happens, then there’s no reason not to be able to get back up there and challenge Manchester City and Liverpool.”

Geordie duo Robson and Steve Bruce jointly lifted the Premier League in 1993 as United ended their dismal sequence. That kick- started the golden Old Trafford era overseen by Sir Alex Ferguson that harvested 13 league triumphs – the last as he said farewell in 2013.

As Ferguson sailed off into retirement, no one foresaw that six years later United would be still waiting to add to his staggering haul of elite silverware.

It’s even worse for Liverpool who are heading towards 30 years since they last lifted the top-flight title – but they’re closer to ending their run than United.

Yet Robson reckons despite the brutal competitiveness of the Premier League, United’s stars can take a short-cut back to glory – by accepting the responsibility p y to improve.

“I went to the club’s player er of the year awards at the end d of last season and saw how disappointed all the lads were with how they had performed during the season,” he says.

“So it’s a matter of improving ng and that’s in their hands.

“I think it’s a building process and what we have to do first of all is improve from last season, which wasn’t good enough. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks like he has made a couple of very good young signings.

“Aaron Wan- Bissaka and Daniel James have really impressed me when I’ve watched them in training. They both have a lot of pace and energy.

“So that holds us in good stead to try to improve going into the season with hopefully some of the young lads who played last season like Marcus Rashford and Scott Mctominay improving again.”

United have reached an agreement to sign England centre- back Harry Maguire from Leicester for £80million. They are also looking for a central midfielder following Ander Herrera’s departure to Paris Saint-germain and are ready to raid the market if Romelu Lukaku moves to Italy.

Robson said: “It’s the spine of the team where Ole has said he’d like to make another couple of signings and that’s going to be important in the remaining days of the transfer window.

“If he does that then you’d have to target a Champions League spot as a priority for us.

Hurdle

“The Europa League is an important trophy to win as Chelsea and ourselves our have done in recent seasons. se

“But it’s nothing like the Champions League or the Premier League.

“The league is more competitive co than it’s ever been and we saw that last season with Liverpool L and Tottenham not only having good seasons in the league but also reaching the Champions League Final in Madrid.

“It’s often been Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus competing in those games, so it shows English clubs have made a step in the right direction to compete against the best European sides.

“That’s because we have been going out buying top-class players from all around the world that the Spanish teams and clubs like Bayern Munich have always done.

“But it’s made it harder to compete for the league in England – and that’s the hurdle United must overcome.”