Manchester United finished second last season, 12 points behind City, and will believe that the gap can be closed. With the season set to kick off on Saturday, United has bolstered their squad with two key signings – Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane.

Jadon Sancho’s signing, for $100 million, did come. Varane, for a likely fee of around $50 million, was an acquisition that even the most ardent United fans hadn’t trailed. As improbable was the swift and trouble-free way the club concluded the deals, a far cry from recent transfer windows that have been hectic at Old Trafford.

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Varane bolsters the defence and provides a threatening combination with the skipper Harry Maguire. With the left-back Luke Shaw displaying terrific form during the Euros 2020 campaign and the presence of ‘the spider’ Aaron Wan Bissaka, United’s defence looks exciting and fierce going ahead.

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The club now looks confident about what it wants and is looking at putting together a strong team under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian is yet to win a trophy at United since joining late in 2018. The club is still short of a defensive center midfielder, but with the squad they have put together this season would be one that can stake their claim at the title. 

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Key to their title bid would be the fitness and form of striker Edinson Cavani. A lot will also rest on how the young forward Mason Greenwood shapes up and if he can live up to the high expectations. Paul Pogba appears to be staying for another season, and Solskjaer will hope the midfielder can transfer his international form with France to his club.

With an upgraded squad, all eyes will be on the Solskjaer. It could be a deciding season for the United manager as he looks to avoid another trophy-less season. With this squad, fans would expect the team to stake a claim to the Premier League title. The Red Devils would fancy their chances against the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea this time around.

August fixtures

14th: Leeds United
(h) – 12:30

22nd: Southampton
(a) – 14:00

29th: Wolves (a) –
16:30