There is no denying that the mighty have fallen. While, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the battle for the Premiership crown was a two-team fight, today, it is not the same two clubs ducking it out for the top spot. Liverpool and Man City have replaced Arsenal and Man United, and the league standings tell a different story as compared to a decade ago.
United are no longer the top club in their city, and they’ve even struggled to secure a Champions League spot in the past few years. Now, after a trophyless season, many are wondering if the Red Devils, under the leadership of Ole Gunnar Solskjær, can bounce back and do better this year?
According to bookies, they are unlikely to reclaim their glory days, as most give them a 5.9% chance for winning the league. These numbers represent that the public does not believe that United has what it takes to contend for the title. This sentiment is surely shared by former boss and club legend, Sir Alex Ferguson. He will have watched the punishing display on Sunday against Tottenham and been dismayed at what has become of his legacy. Sir Alex is probably mirroring the thoughts of the fans and placing his bets elsewhere, perhaps on footballbettingtips.org.uk as the likelihood of United lifting the title this season under Solskjær are sadly very low.
How Far Away is Man United From the league title?
The new signings of Edinson Cavani, via free transfer, and Alex Telles from Porto will most certainly boost the squad’s quality. However, is that enough to make them more competitive with Liverpool and Man City? Not likely.
No one can argue that the signing of Bruno Fernandes in January proved to be a hit. The Portuguese player not only brought much-needed leadership but a creative link between midfield and attack. However, can Bruno repeat the same form as last year, and can Paul Pogba return to his old ways? If the answer to these questions is yes, then United’s chances significantly go up.
The talent is there. Team spirit is what has been lacking for the past few years. The Red Devil’s philosophy of being defensively sound without the ball and transitioning with a front-line full of pace make them extremely dangerous. However, they have a reputation of stumbling against lower-rank opponents. Thus, it is hard to believe that they will maintain quality form throughout the season and nab as many points as other contenders.
Is There Enough Quality and Team Spirit for a CL Spot?
There should be. However, more and more bookmakers think now that Tottenham under Mourinho and Arsenal under Mikel Arteta are more likely to join Man City and Liverpool in the Champions League next year. Some are even placing Everton as having chances similar to United for a top-four spot.
Former United midfielder Darren Fletcher thinks that the club is unlikely to finish at the top of the table with the current squad under Solskjær’s management. Club legend Roy Keane has also been critical, proclaiming that the team must claim a trophy this year, as pressure is mounting. He believes that the squad’s quality is worrying and that it is unlikely that things will fall into place as the seasons unravels.
However, we believe that the team only needs a good run of form that will boost the club’s self-confidence and lead them into the Champion’s League season next year.
