MANCHESTER UNITED CAUGHT IN A BATTLE SET TO LAST UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE OF THE SEASON
Predictions in sports are usually arrived at through a series of collective data that usually delivers accurate reports on the results of a particular season.
In football, predictions relating to the future outcome of a season are generated through accurate reports relating to the number of points and the performance level each team has been able to deliver from the start of the season until the midway point of the season. While predictions relating to some of the top-level leagues around Europe cannot always deliver flawless predictions because, with some of the top leagues around Europe, the level of unpredictability can never be written off because in the case of top leagues such as the English Premier League, the chances of one team will be winning every game in a season is highly unlikely.
With that being said, very few people can argue with the expectation that with barely 9 matches left in the 20/21 season that the current league leaders Manchester City will let the Premier League trophy slip away from their grasp especially since Pep Guardiola's men have established a strong 14-point gap at the top of the Premier League table from the closest competitors Manchester United sitting in second place in the Premier League. Little doubt Is attached to the notion that Manchester City might be crowned Champions of the 2020/21 Premier League season.
The results are not certified yet. However, the reality is that based on the current look of the 2020/21 Premier League table, the 2020/21 Premier League season has indeed gone past the point where Manchester City will have to record at least five more terrible results and Manchester United will have to record a near-perfect run filled with victories in the remaining nine matches for Manchester United to be presented with even the slightest chances of catching up to Manchester City in the race for the 2020/21 Premier League table.
The big talking point in tonight's articles is not about the 2020/21 Premier League trophy. Rather, the main talking point in this weekend's article is rather about where will the top three teams beneath Manchester City end the season on?
Specifically speaking, will Manchester United be able to hold on to the 2nd spot in the Premier League table at the end of the 2020/21 Premier League season?
As at the time when the final draft of this weekend’s article was created, which was in the early to middle of March 2021, the Premier League table had Manchester United sitting in the second spot behind Manchester City and then Leicester City sitting in a third spot one point behind Manchester United and Chelsea sitting in fourth spot just four points behind Manchester United.
With all three sides-Manchester United, Leicester City, and Chelsea all having difficult teams yet to face by each side in the remaining part of the schedule this season, the current concerns channeled towards Manchester United appears to be if this Manchester United side can hold on to the second spot of the Barclays Premier League table come end of the 2020/21 season.
A hand full of research conducted here at Manchester United Channel continues to project Manchester United as the team that finishes second behind Manchester City at the end of this seasons Premier League campaign but after anyone takes a look at this current Manchester United squad, there are signs that this Manchester United are starting to take the shape of possible Champions soon. Is a second-place finish for Manchester United in this season’s Premier League competition the end game for the Red Devils?
The reality is yes second place is the end game for Manchester United in this season’s Premier League table. These are facts which from the information received here at Manchester United Channel is the position some of the top football analysts have pegged Manchester United to finish this season with yet again.
However, a second-place finish at best might also be the future written for Manchester United at the end of next season as well. Considering the level of inconsistent seen from Manchester United and because Bruno Fernandes continues to display how difficult the task of maintaining high-level creativity alone in Manchester United midfield really is- a fact that highlights just how massive Paul Pogba will be missed next season if the French man leaves Manchester United this summer.
A future where Manchester United end up in second place yet again next season or better yet, a future where Manchester United end up lifting the Premier League trophy as well as a future where Manchester United end up lifting the Champions League trophy as well remains a fairytale future if Manchester United fail to hang on to Paul Pogba or if Manchester United fail to secure a Paul Pogba replacement who can deliver the same level of quality as Paul Pogba
when or if the French midfielder leaves Manchester United in the summer of 2022.
For Manchester United, the expected result received from the recent analyses conducted around the Premier League table that sees the Red Devils ending the current season in second place, meaning Manchester United ends a season having to watch one of their biggest rivals lift the trophy once again will leave Manchester United with the pain of watching yet another arch-rival lifts the Premier League trophy once again.
The bigger issue for Manchester United will not be the dismay that comes with defeat. The bigger question is where will that second creative spark in the center of the park which will be needed for the Red Devils to achieve a better outcome next season come from? With Paul Pogba still poised to leave this summer, the answer to strengthening creativity in the middle for Manchester United will most likely come down to two option- sanction a transfer for Paul Pogba and invest the profit in signing an extra center back and a central defensive midfielder which strengthens the backline but shortens creativity in central midfield.
The second option will be to resign Paul Pogba and sign a central defensive midfielder which will inevitably boost creativity with the presence of Bruno, Pogba, and a defensive midfielder in the Manchester United midfield but the outcome will mean Manchester United will emerge from the 2021 Summer transfer window without a backup center back.
