Manchester United have won three games in the Premier League and are now six points behind leaders Arsenal, with manager Rene Meulensteen rooting for them.
Former Manchester United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen believes Ruben Amorim’s side remain in contention for the Premier League title. The Red Devils are six points behind leaders Arsenal and have won three straight games under the Portuguese manager.
United currently sit in sixth place, chasing local rivals Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as unlikely favorites Bournemouth and Sunderland. Life at Old Trafford has been difficult after the most difficult fixture in the club’s top-flight history.
Meulensteen believes his new players are starting to find their footing and, benefiting from the absence of a midweek European tour, the Dutchman believes this campaign will mark a return to their prominence in England’s elite division.
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“I’m 100 per cent sure that when I first said that, people scratched their heads and asked what he meant. But the reason I said that, and I still stand by it, is because, as you can see, United are only six points behind Arsenal,” he told compare.bet.
“Obviously people are sometimes blindsided by United’s poor start, but they are starting to gain momentum.
“You see them beating Forest and Spurs as well. It suddenly became five games in a row and Matheus Cunha and Brian Mbeumo are settling in, so they’re starting to get stronger.[Benjamin]Sesco will get minutes. They’re finding their way little by little and their confidence will grow.”
“They don’t have midweek games, they don’t have midweek stress, they don’t have to rotate teams that often.
“They’re going to grow and grow and grow. What I’m saying is that Manchester United could soon be the surprise package that moves them into second place. And suddenly people will start saying what’s going on here and there will be a whole different level of belief.”
“Everyone has a slightly different view of him, not just the players, but the managers, the fans and Manchester United, but it’s a force to be reckoned with.”
United return to Premier League action on Saturday when they host Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest. If they win, it will be their fourth consecutive win and strengthen their bid for the Champions League.
Despite being sixth, Meulensteen insists he is well-placed to maintain momentum as a potential dark horse. He added: “They may not say it themselves, they may not believe it yet, but I honestly think they can do it.
“I’m one of the biggest critics of Amorim’s stubbornness towards the system as to why they don’t start running. But if they start running and everything goes well, you have to raise your hand and say, Amorim, listen, great job. You stuck to the system and it’s working.”
“Does it have longevity? I still have questions. But in sport, sometimes it comes down to factors that can’t be fully figured out: form, flow, karma. Look at what’s happening to Liverpool. Last year, no one would have seen what’s happening now. It was just easy sailing. They’re now in the worst storm they could have ever imagined and probably don’t know how to get out.”
“United have been going through some bad times, but for some reason suddenly things start to click, people get better and negatives turn into positives. That’s the role United can play this season and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re in the title race. Nobody has given them a penny this season so I’d like to see them get out of this dark horse position.”
“It would be great to be in this position unless suddenly something bad happens and we go back to not performing or winning. Three wins still haven’t solidified the foundation that we all want to see.”
“Do not underestimate the time Amorim will have to work with the players and work on the plans for the next opponents, instead of managing two-day substitutions between matches in Europe or in the league. From now on he will be making five- to six-day substitutions, and even seven days.”
“When you have that time, you can do your job and let the players relax a little bit. They can come back mentally fresh without being tired from traveling. I know all of those things add up. It has an impact.”
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