Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s Manchester United have a clear cut chance of going three points clear at the top of the Premier League table should the Old Trafford outfit emerge victorious in their game in hand, however, ex-Red John Aldridge is not convinced of the 20-time top-flight champions gunning for a 21st title come May.
Liverpool FC have been misfiring on all fronts in recent weeks, with Jurgen Klopp’s side enduring a three-game winless streak, including Monday’s defeat at St. Mary’s to Southampton, giving Solskjaer’s men a perfect opportunity to open up a three-point lead before the much-anticipated meeting between the two English heavyweights on 17th January.
Aldridge, while writing for the Sunday World, spoke of how an in-form United attacking line was a major reason behind the Red Devils’ upsurge in form across Premier League action as the former Liverpool FC man reserved special praise for United talisman Bruno Fernandes.
However, the other departments in the first-team setup at Old Trafford were branded ‘second rate’ by Aldridge, who insisted that merely a star-studded frontline would not be able to propel Manchester United to this season’s Premier League crown.
‘[United have] a handful of forward players who can win a game with some moments of magic and after he threw Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford on for the second-half [v. West Ham], the game was turned around,‘ Aldridge said.
‘We have seen that time and again with United. In Fernandes, Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani, they have attacking players with real quality.
‘When I look at the rest of their team, it looks pretty second rate, but top-class forwards can win you football matches and while I’m not convinced they will remain in the title race through to the end, those forward players are a real threat.‘