Louis van Gaal and his flexible system may enhance his squad's Premier League hopes but an ever-growing injury list and the lack of European football may leave them a level below Chelsea and Manchester City.
Five reasons United can do it . . .
1 Louis van Gaal
The man with the new philosophy to imbue and a run of injuries that threatens to destabilise his progress is illustrating just how he obtained his glittering CV. To recover from failing to win once in the opening four matches – the trot included a 4-0 Capital One Cup thumping at MK Dons – to have Manchester United perched loftily in third, only eight points behind Chelsea, is the firmest of proof of Van Gaal's managerial acumen. A mantra heard nearly as often as his players having to understand his philosophy is the Dutchman's declaration: "I am a perfectionist." The logical conclusion, then, is that United will only become better under him.
2 Ander Herrera showing signs of being a real central midfielder for United
The Spaniard has endured an up-and-down start to his Old Trafford career but in recent weeks has been quick-thinking, quick-footed and quick up the park to join the attack and indicate United may have at last acquired a complete midfielder. Marouane Fellaini's renaissance under Van Gaal has been one of the more intriguing yarns of this United campaign thus far, the Belgian keeping Herrera from the starting XI at times, as he did in Sunday's 3-0 win over Liverpool. When Herrera came on in the 71st minute, however, he again injected pace into the side's play and in the long term will hope to establish himself as a first choice.
3 Players are more flexible because of system changes, so it offers more options
Van Gaal’s squad members are queuing up to espouse the advantages of the differing shapes to which they have been asked to adapt. While the Dutchman’s charges are hardly likely to do the opposite, evidence that switching between 3-5-2, 4-4-2, 4-1-3-2 and Sunday’s 3-4-1-2 is not disrupting the side is found in United’s six consecutive wins in the Premier League. Van Gaal’s stated mission to retrain his cadre to use their brains appears to be working.
4 Experienced players used to making championship surge from Christmas onwards
Before and after Liverpool's 3-0 humiliation, Michael Carrick offered the time-proven United line about being thereabouts at the top as Saint Nicholas descends chimneys. The eight-point gap to Chelsea is sizeable but in Carrick, Wayne Rooney, David De Gea, Robin van Persie, Jonny Evans, Phil Jones, Rafael Da Silva, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, and Darren Fletcher the club have a core of footballers who know exactly what it takes to win the Premier League – especially when the pressure is on.
5 Wayne Rooney and David de Gea are threatening to have their very best seasons
Against Liverpool the perennially impressive Rooney played in a deep-lying midfield role and excelled, drifting forward at the perfect moment to score United’s opener. This year’s Rooney is a lean, mean total football machine whose reaction to being made captain has been a new maturity and a determination to become even better. As exemplified by the numerous breathtaking saves against Liverpool, De Gea is elevating his game and has a fair claim now to be among the world’s best No1s. The Spaniard was a prime factor in United beating Brendan Rodgers’s side, so De Gea is materially affecting the relentless quest to gather points.
. . . and five reasons they can’t . . .
1 Injuries
The number of differing problems that have struck down Van Gaal’s squad is moving towards a half century, a scarcely believable number considering the millions invested in a state-of-the-art medical centre at the club’s training complex. If these continue then United will surely come unstuck, especially against Chelsea or Manchester City, all the more so if a key player such as De Gea, Rooney, or Van Persie were to go down.
2 They require at least one top central defender, plus a midfielder
If January comes and goes without Kevin Strootman or Mats Hummels, or a midfielder and central defender of that ilk being recruited, the suspicion is that United's resources will be too thin to stay the course of the race. The club have identified next summer as the key transfer window to strengthen and deepen the squad, so fans may have to wait until then to see the real Van Gaal United team.
3 United still appear at least a level below Chelsea and Manchester City
As in all sport, ifs and buts mean nothing in football as winning is the name of the game. However, were United truly in total control of the contest on Sunday against Liverpool? The visitors missed several chances to score and although United were deserved winners there is a counter-argument that the 2-1 win at Southampton in the previous outing was a near miracle of good fortune. City and Chelsea, meanwhile, have appeared to be far better than opponents on far more occasions than United have this season.
4 Absence from continental action means that United cannot improve as much
This is Van Gaal's response when asked if not being in Europe can be an advantage. The manager would far prefer to have his players in the Champions League – or even the Europa League – to test themselves against the very best. Still, as Liverpool showed last season, this does allow a focus on regaining European Cup football, so from this perspective there should be no excuse for not finishing in the top four.
5 Apart from De Gea the defence can be shaky
Is Da Silva a top-drawer defensive right-back? Has Luke Shaw settled yet at left-back? Will Jones, Evans and Chris Smalling ever not be injured at the same time for any sustained period? Also, when Van Gaal does have his strongest defence available, how strong is it? Beyond De Gea, the jury seems out on most, if not all, of these questions.
