Manchester United are the perennial contenders for the title, and since the Premier League era ushered in 1992-93, they have won 13 of the 21 titles. However, this season will be very different different- for the first time in 27 years, the Red Devils will not have Sir Alex Ferguson on the touchline. So, here’s a look at the five reasons why we think Manchester United will not win the league title this campaign.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson
Let’s face it, Sir Alex was one of the most successful managers of all time. The number of trophies he has won as a manager is more than what some of the major European clubs have won in all of their existence. His presence in the changing room and the touchline will be sorely missed, as will his experience.
His tactical astuteness has won numerous games (remember his tactics against Real Madrid in the Champions League away tie last season?) as has his personality in the dressing room. What will probably be mostly missed will be his ability to create pressure on the opposition through his mind games and quips in the press. Let’s not forget his ability to pressurize the referees in big games. You remove all that from the equation and Manchester United suddenly lose a lot of their ruthlessness.
2. Wayne Rooney and the Forward Line
The present Wayne Rooney scenario is not helping Manchester United. The longer the uncertainty around Rooney’s transfer continues, the more harm it is bound to cause to the team. It hasn’t quite caught the attention of the British press like the Suarez transfer saga has, but it will certainly grab more headlines in the near future if it isn’t resolved soon. All that is bound to have an effect on the team.
In Rooney’s absence, the only genuine goal scorer theat the Red Devils have is Robin van Persie, and if he goes off the boil near the end of the season, like he did last season, United do not have some who can come in and get the goals. Danny Welbeck has the ability, but his finishing has been terrible in the last couple of season, while Chicharito seems effective only when used from the bench. If Rooney leaves, they will need to sign another striker, who may take time to adjust to the surroundings at Old Trafford.
3. The Defence
The defense has been a concern for United in the last couple of season. With Ferdiand and Vidic both suffering from injuries frequently, last season Michael Carrick had to fill in at centre-back, as Phil Jones has also frequented the treatment table. Ferdinand and Vidic both seem to have lost a yard of pace, and can at times be exposed by teams playing on the counter. In Smalling, they have a very good defender and they have also signed young right-back Guillermo Varela from Penarol. With Evra not in the best of form, and new signing Alex Buttner not living up to expectations, left back remains a problem area for United.
While they have been repeatedly linked with Everton left-back Leighton Baines, they do need to sign a left-back and a central defender to be able to compete throughout the season.
4. The Fixtures
The start of the season is one of the toughest it has been for United in the recent years. In their opening game, they travel to a very well-drilled Swansea side, and follow that upwith games against Chelsea at home and Liverpool away, while their fifth game is against Manchester City away. A weak start in the opening fixtures could see them trying to catch up against the competition for the rest of the season. Without the experience of Sir Alex to guide them, it could very easily turn out to be a very long season.
5. David Moyes
I have the utmost respect for the man, considering how well he has done with a shoe-string budget at Goodison Park, but let’s face it; managing Manchester United is a different ball game all together. The expectations are much greater, and you are expected to hit the ground running. Add to that the fact that he has never won a trophy during his stint at Everton, and you have a manager who has no idea of what to expect in a title challenge-the best he has achieved is a fourth place finish.
Moyes is an excellent manager, and United will no doubt perform well under him, but he will need time to adapt to the team, and make his mark upon them. On top of that you have all the big egos in the dressing room, and it is going to be interesting to see how Moyes is able to handle that.
All that being said, it still is a pretty safe bet that Manchester United will finish in the top five, but winning the title-those chances look very slim to me. My prediction for United this season is fourth/fifth with around 60-65 points. The question is, what will David Moyes do?