COUNTDOWN TO THE THE LUK OF CHAMPS
Jose’s beefy United will not be bullied this term
MANCHESTER UNITED are better prepared to win the Premier League than at any time since Sir Alex Ferguson quit four years ago.
And seven- time Old Trafford Premier League title winner Denis Irwin reckons the last year under Jose Mourinho has transformed United from nowhere men to a team capable of adding to the 13 Premier League crowns amassed under Ferguson.
United head to Macedonia tomorrow for Tuesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash with Real Madrid in Skopje – their final game before the big kick-off against West Ham a week today.
And former full-back Irwin – now an elite club ambassador – is convinced United are finally on the brink of becoming a force again following four wilderness years since Fergie hung up his hairdryer in 2013 after winning the title.
Intense
Irwin (above) said: “I was on tour in America with the team and saw them at close quarters.
“The spirit is great and there’s a hunger about the manager and the group to improve on last season.
“I’ve watched training which has been really quick and intense.
“The games have been good and now there’s one more to go against Real Madrid.
“And having watched the last few weeks unfold, I think the club are better prepared for the standard of the Premier League as during any time in last few seasons since Sir Alex left.
“It’s going to be intensely competitive and there will be at least six teams who think they can win it. It’s a very open Premier League, which is good, and Manchester United need to be part of the title race.
“But first you need to earn the right to be part of it.
“If you look at the last four seasons where we have finished 7th, 4th, 5th and 6th it’s been a tough time since Sir Alex left, and in the League they’ve been off the pace, there’s no doubt about that.
“Everyone knew it would be difficult after so many years of stability, but now Jose Mourinho is getting there.
“Look at the buys he made last summer which were all excellent. “And if you add in the players he has recruited this time in R Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja M Matic and Victor Lindelof, then I think United have improved hugely in the last 13 months.”
Having nailed their fiv five- game preparation in the U USA and continued with two pre-season wins in Europe, Irwin believes United must fly out of their traps in the Premier League – or risk falling behind in the title race.
In their first seven matches of the new campaign, Mourinho’s stars face only one club who finished in the top seven last season in Everton.
And Irwin, 51, said: “United have to start strongly, you just can’t play catch-up any more.
“The days of going seven, eight and nine points behind early on have gone.
“You have to get out of the blocks quickly and with the fixture list as it is United could do that.
“But that said, West Ham won’t be a pushover in their first game with Chicharito coming back to Old Trafford determined to make a point.
“Marko Arnautovic is not a bad player either and Joe Hart is a good keeper, so it won’t be easy and there will be challenges everywhere.
“There are no guarantees anymore, you have to earn the right to win games now. But starting fast and strong is vital if you want to build momentum.” There are f ew certainties in t he Premier League but Irwin’s sure of one thing – United will not be bullied by anyone with Mourinho’s recruitment turning Old Trafford into The Land of the Giants.
He said: “No one will bully United that’s for sure.
“I always remember a game two seasons ago, the second game to last, where we played West Ham away.
Lightweight
“It was their final game at Upton Park and we needed to win the last two games to get into the Champions League.
“We were 2-0 up having not played very well and they just physically overpowered us with free-kicks and crosses in the last 20 minutes and I always thought we were a bit lightweight.
“But it’s good to see Mourinho has recognised that.
“He has brought big imposing players like Paul Pogba, Matic, Eric Bailly, Lukaku and Lindelof.
“Only Henrikh Mkhitaryan is under that and it’s what we needed. These days you need a mixture of physicality, pace, youth, experience and cleverness – and United have all of that.
“The balance of the squad is so much better and with Jose pulling the strings there’s no reason for United to fear anyone in the Premier League or Champions League.”