Former Manchester United star Nani sees no reason why his old side cannot make an incredible challenge for the Premier League title this season, after their mini turnaround under Ruben Amorim.
Amorim was under intense pressure at the start of the new campaign after the Red Devils won just two of their first six league games, while his side were also embarrassingly dumped out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town.
However, a 2-0 victory at home to Sunderland before the international break has sparked an upturn in form as Man Utd went on to beat bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield before they ran out 4-2 winners at home to Brighton last weekend.
That run of form has shot Amorim‘s men up to sixth in the table, just one point off the top four and a point ahead of defending champions Liverpool – a feat that appeared unthinkable during the early stages of the season.
And, while Arsenal sit four points clear at the top of the table and six ahead of United. Nani believes anything could now happen in a wide-open title race.
And the 38-year-old even suggested that his former side could be surprise contenders, if they can continue to build on their recent resurgence.
“Why not?” Nani told Covers.com. “They are building a strong team and are trying to get back into real competition with the teams that are always at the top of the table: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Man City. So, they are there now. They have the possibility.
“If they win the next few games, everything can change. So, we never know. Let’s keep on winning games and then we’ll see.
“If it’s not this year, maybe they will get the confidence for next season. So, let’s see.
“Not being in Europe helps on one side, yes, but obviously everyone likes to see the team in European competitions because in the middle of the week, when you don’t see your team there, you get frustrated.
“But for this time, for what they are trying to build, it’s better because there is more time to prepare the team and to train the players. Sometimes when players have too much pressure, it’s difficult to manage the physical side.
“I think if there are no competitions in the middle of the week, it’s easier, and then they can work tactically and on a lot of other things to prepare for the weekends.”
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Nani raves over new Man Utd attacking stars
Analysing his former side’s start to the season in more depth, Nani revealed that he has been particularly impressed with United’s new attacking signings – all three of which made an impact in the weekend win over Brighton.
“I’ve been watching the team and I’m really happy,” Nani added. “The performance of a couple of the new players shows they are gaining confidence and starting to display their qualities.
“Obviously, it’s the beginning of the season, and we know they will perform much better in the middle of the season. The new guys, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko have been fantastic players for the team. They’ve shown their quality and personality.
“They first demonstrate sacrifice for the team, they run. Sometimes we can see them run too much and then they get tired in the middle of the second half, but that’s good because we know they will get their reward later in the season.
“They will score goals, run less, and play more relaxed—that’s football. But so far, these three players add a lot of quality to the team and are helping a lot. They’ve been scoring goals, being very productive, and involved in every match. And that’s what we want for each player who comes to the club.”
United are back in action on Saturday when they head to Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest, looking to make it four consecutive league wins for the first time since February 2024.
Latest Man Utd news
First up, director of football Jason Wilcox has revealed the two major rules to signing new talent for Manchester United, with ‘a clear plan’ in place to invest in Ruben Amorim’s playing squad in what should be an exciting future at the club.
Elsewhere, West Ham have put calls into United regarding two swoops in January, and sources have detailed what decision Ruben Amorim wants his club to make on each player.
And finally, Manchester City have joined United and Barcelona in the race to sign LaLiga’s newest gem Karl Etta Eyong, according to a report.
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