Manchester United might have won a game in Fergie-time at the weekend but make no mistake, this Reds incarnation are far from the trophy-hunting juggernaut they were under the Old Trafford great.
Erik ten Hag may have delivered the Carabao Cup last term to end a six-year hunt for silverware but a campaign of progress has been checked by a chequered start to this term. There is mitigation, with injuries playing a significant role as the Reds seek their best XI.
But performances and key personnel have been poor and the summer’s new recruits, Rasmus Hojlund aside, have yet to fire. Even last summer’s signings still have question marks.
No-one expected United under Ten Hag to be a quick fix. It was always going to take time to right a tanker heading for an iceberg, saddled with dead-weight owners who are a huge hindrance.
Yet this season’s Premier League is shaping up to the most competitive in years. A top-five finish is likely to yield Champions League football and you could make a compelling case for nine sides finishing inside it. And the majority are showing United up.
Tottenham, from a standing start and having lost their best and most influential player, have hit the ground running under a new manager with a defined style. Man-for-man you wouldn’t say Spurs are superior in all areas to United but they look it. They are well drilled, organised and with a clear plan that allows their talent to prosper.
Liverpool had to revive their midfield with a host of signings, several made very late in the window, and yet Jurgen Klopp’s side have, in the main, successfully, evolved. Their summer signings have slotted in while United’s are still finding their feet. The Merseysiders have lost just once this season and look in ominous mood to challenge Manchester City and Arsenal.
Even the likes of Brighton and Aston Villa look more rounded sides than United do, and that’s without taking into contention the potential of teams like Newcastle United and Chelsea to mount a European challenge. Yes, Ten Hag had work to do at Old Trafford, but at the top level there is always work to do.
The Reds have spent heavily but remain lacking in identity and still look a mix of counter-attack and a hyper-press. They are neither possession dominators nor lightning on turnover. It may well come good, it may well click and given time Ten Hag will likely get a tune out of this team. But time is not something that football and the Premier League affords. Other top-flight heavyweights are making better use of their time and United cannot afford to be late.
