Can Manchester clubs do it?

The new season will be important for both Manchester clubs as one looks to put up impressive performance

By :  t.n. raghu
Update: 2014-08-16 23:14 GMT
Wayne Rooney
For Manchester clubs, last season couldn’t have been more different. While City pipped Liverpool at the post to win their second title in three years, United plumbed new depths in the Premier League era as they finished seventh. City were by no means spectacular but they pounced on the mistakes of the Reds on the home bend. Credit must be given to Manuel Pellegrini, who is the antithesis of Jose Mourinho in attitude, for keeping his team on track even when others saw signs of vulnerability.
 
The David Moyes regime was a nightmare for United. Moyes had clearly bitten off more than he could chew and his clueless reign came to an unedifying end much to the relief of the most popular English club’s legion of fans. United got over the bad dream with the appointment of Louis van Gaal. For Moyes, United had been a step too high. Van Gaal, on the other hand, can never be accused of lacking confidence. The Dutchman is perfect for a club of United’s stature because he has a winning mentality besides the experience of managing top clubs such as Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He also has a crystal clear coaching philosophy. Van Gaal burnished his reputation with the way he steered the Dutch to third place at the World Cup. He is a no nonsense manager who has the knack of getting the best out his team.
 
It’s certain that United will perform infinitely better under Van Gaal but to expect them to run away with the title would be unrealistic. Moyes hasn’t only bequeathed him an ordinary squad; the Scotsman has also sucked the confidence out of the Red Devils. It’s one commodity United could ill afford to lose because they were used to winning many matches through their reputation rather than their actual performance on the field. United lost their mojo under Moyes.
 
The early signs are positive for Van Gaal. He has brought a semblance of order at Old Trafford. But the Dutchman doesn’t seem to have the big names he can fall back on during a crisis. There is too much pressure on Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie to deliver. United could well end up ruing the absence of a world-class midfielder in their ranks by the end of the season. If Van Gaal steers United to the summit, it will be nothing short of a coup. The feat will equal his achievement of winning the Champions League with a youthful Ajax side in 1995.
 
Meanwhile, Pellegrini has the advantage of having a settled squad. But doing an encore is never going to be easy for him as the title race in the EPL is more competitive than ever. Pundits have rightly installed Chelsea as the odds-on favourites. City need to be at their best right from the start to keep the Blues at bay. Legacies are forged on the basis of sustained excellence and few will remember Pellegrini’s team if they fail to retain their title. Here is DC’s prediction for the season: 1. Chelsea, 2. Manchester City, 3. Arsenal, 4. Manchester United, 5. Liverpool. 

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