Can United really challenge for title?

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Robin van Persie of Manchester United celebrates scoring the third goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on December 14, 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Robin van Persie of Manchester United celebrates scoring the third goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on December 14, 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Published Dec 19, 2014

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AS Christmas draws near, Manchester United are back on familiar territory. A Barclays Premier League title race that was only expected to feature two contenders suddenly has a third team loitering with intent at the head of the chasing pack.

Winning is a habit

However, there were signs against Liverpool at Old Trafford last Sunday that suggested, for the first time in a long time, that United had rediscovered the belief that was always there during the Sir Alex Ferguson years.

United weren’t comprehensively better than Liverpool in winning 3-0, but at no point did you think they would lose. On the counter, United played with a conviction and edge that always suggested that, whatever happened in their own penalty box, they would manage to put it right in the other one.

It was not dissimilar to the way Liverpool themselves felt at the back end of last season and look what it almost did for them.

Big names back LVG

This time last year, senior players at Old Trafford — such as Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic — already had serious reservations about Moyes and Ferguson’s successor suffered as a consequence.

So far this time, Van Gaal has had no such problems and, crucially, he has quickly gained and maintained the trust and support of players such as Rooney, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher. Players in the United dressing room listen to these voices and it is the Old Trafford squad’s belief in their coach that has, for example, enabled Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young to perform much better as emergency wing backs than anybody ever expected.

These things can make a difference, especially during periods of transition. The decision to hand Rooney the captaincy was a clever one and it is paying off in terms of the England skipper’s performances and day-to-day influence.

An example of Rooney’s current approach is that when Van Gaal called him back to the training ground from an appointment on Merseyside to talk about a forthcoming game a month ago, the 29-year-old didn’t bat an eyelid.

United managers — just like their contemporaries at clubs like Spurs and Liverpool — will never be short of ex-coaches and players telling the world exactly what they are doing wrong.

Van Gaal has had plenty of that, but those who know him stress that he doesn’t even hear it, never mind pay attention to it.

Van Gaal can certainly get jumpy in press conferences and doesn’t like being reminded of things that have gone awry. But the key quality that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach possesses is to forget all about it as soon as he has walked out of the room.

He is 100 per cent convinced that what he is doing is correct and that kind of self-belief is something you cannot buy.

Ride your luck

United have had a dreadful run with injuries and only time will tell if any of that is down to Van Gaal’s methods. The United manager has been fortunate, however, that a tiny pocket of players he really needs have managed to stay fit.

Rooney is certainly one of those — for many reasons — while David de Gea is another. The goalkeeper is on one of those runs of form that you can only dream about.

His performances against Arsenal and Liverpool not only earned his team victories, but actually stopped them losing. Take six points off United’s tally of 31 in the Premier League and Van Gaal’s record would look identical to that of Moyes a year ago and would see them outside the top six with only two points more than Newcastle.

That is how fine the margins are in English football these days.

Van Gaal and his staff will rightly claim an influence on their goalkeeper’s form — coach Frans Hoek has previously worked with Victor Valdes, Pepe Reina and Edwin van der Sar — but if a keeper is saving your skin on a regular basis then it’s best to close your eyes and hope it continues.

No Europe

While we are on the subject, the 4-0 Capital One Cup defeat at MK Dons that seemed to spell crisis back in August no longer looks like the worst result in the world either. United’s constant stream of free weeks has given them vital breathing space so far.

Title chances?

However, it must be said that United’s performances in taking 18 points from games against Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Hull, Stoke, Southampton and Liverpool probably merited about half of that total on balance of play and opportunities.

Good finishing and outstanding goalkeeping will only carry you so far and Van Gaal knows he still has issues to address in the days and weeks to come. His team struggle to keep possession for long periods and the defence — still missing some players — continues to look far too porous, particularly between the central defenders.

It is worth noting that Moyes was still being asked if his team could win the title as United put together a six-game winning streak in all competitions this time last year. And look what happened to him. – Daily Mail

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