Welcome to United On My Mind’s daily roundup, where we take a look at some of the best Manchester United stories you may have missed.
A Chelsea legend has opened up on United’s top-four hopes and why Cristiano Ronaldo could make all the difference, but while one striker is receiving praise, another is reportedly on his way out of Old Trafford.
Finally, Lee Bowyer has given an update on the fitness of Manchester United loanee Tahith Chong.
Chelsea Legend supports United’s Ronaldo factor
Manchester United’s early form may have left them out of a title race unless things go seriously wrong for Manchester City or Liverpool, but they still have a shot at a top four finish.
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They will most likely have to fight for that spot with Arsenal, who seem to have finally found their footing under Mikel Arteta. However, Chelsea legend and pundit Joe Cole believes United have the advantage for a reason.
He told BT Sport: “I think they will [Arsenal] be there, or near. But if you ask me, I think it will be between Manchester United, Tottenham, West Ham and Arsenal.
“And I would probably go to United just for the Ronaldo factor, because he’s such a genius and he guarantees you goals. He always shows up.”
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My View: While Ronaldo is an advantage, United have several structural issues that they need to address, including the Portuguese striker, if they are to succeed under Ralf Rangnick this season.
And with Chelsea struggling in recent weeks this could be the perfect opportunity for United to sneak into the top four or even higher if they figure out the issues that have plagued them all season.
Cavani should go?
Edinson Cavani has quickly become a fan favorite since joining the club on a free transfer in 2020, but injuries and awkward directives have meant he has struggled to find a regular place in United’s starting XI.
Edinson Cavani has struggled to find playing time at United so far this season and could we see the Uruguayan’s move in January with forwards open at Barcelona?
Now with many players ahead of him, reports suggest he could leave the club in January. Argentina outlet TyC Sports have reported that Cavani will turn down a move to Boca Juniors and leave United for Barcelona in January to fill the void left by Sergio Aguero’s unfortunate retirement.
My Opinion: It will be sad to see Cavani go but with his contract expiring in 2022 and his injury woes it was unlikely he would ever show what could have been at Old Trafford.
Suppose United want to sack Cavani and Anthony Martial in January as some reports suggest. When this happens, a striker alongside a central midfielder quickly becomes a priority for United.
Birmingham City manager provides update on Chong
Tahith Chong impressed on loan at Birmingham City until injury prevented him.
Birmingham manager Lee Bowyer has given an update on Tahith Chong’s fitness. The Dutchman suffered an injury while on loan at the Midlands club and returned to United for treatment. According to Bowyer, he is recovering well.
He said in an interview with Birmingham Live: “All I can say is he’s ahead of schedule. I don’t want to say days, weeks, months – whatever it is. All I know is that he’s ahead of schedule, which is good.
“Obviously he’s back at Man U and being treated and they’re looking after him, so we know he’s being looked after very, very well there – which is positive for us. It was good to hear that last week.
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“fingers crossed everything goes smoothly, he’s still a long, long way away but fingers crossed we see him sometime before the end of the season.”
My Opinion: Chong made good progress during his loan spell at Birmingham and earned a lot of praise from the team’s fans for his performances. Hopefully he can recover from injury soon and be a key player for the championship team.
Do you think Manchester United can finish in the top four this season? Follow our United On My Mind writer Casey Evans on Twitter and join the discussion in the comments section below.
