Manchester United are a club that require nothing but simple analysis when trying to understand their current position, what they might achieve and what can be expected from them.

As a club, they are obviously currently performing below what would be expected from them.

As a set of players, they are individually performing below what would be expected from them.

This is no coincidence.

De Gea, Shaw, Pogba, Lingard, Rashford, Mata, Sanchez, Matic – all of these players have at some point demonstrated that they are supremely talented and worth of stepping out on the hallowed Old Trafford turf. But equally, all of these players have very rarely lived up to that potential. All may have flashed at times, but I cannot recall seeing any kind of consistency from any of them, and definitely not them all applying themselves at the same time.

It is this that makes Man Utd a very difficult team to know what to expect from. If they continue to have players step out and underperform then they will see themselves continue to struggle to reach the top 4. If something miraculous happens and these players do come together and live up to their billing, then Utd have a real chance to be competing up their with their noisy neighbours. Right now that might seem unlikely, and last season suggested that Solskjaer might not be the man to get them there but that threat is still there so don’t cout them out.

Ceiling – 1st

Floor – 8th