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The glorious Manchester side currently sits 8th in the Premier League standings heading into the international break, and even though this side finished second in the league last year, they look way off from the team who defended their heart out and punished teams on the counter in typical Jose Mourinho fashion.
The problems seem to be piling up for the Red Devils, as lack of form from top players, defensive frailties, lack of cohesion in midfield are just a few of the issues currently holding the club back.
The fans of the club are quick to point out their noisy neighbours' expenditure in the market as the main reason for their drastic rise, United themselves have invested quite heavily in their squad, it's just that none of their signings has had the success or the coaching that their neighbours' have had.
Under Mourinho, United have laid out 382.5 million pounds in transfers, which is not that far behind the Citizens, who've spent 518 million on bringing in players. A lot can be said of Manchester United's dealings in comparison to their neighbors, as it is the men in blue who have brought in the better players and gotten more bang for their buck, whilst United are paying 52 million quid for the likes of Fred (no disrespect to him, but that's 10 more than City spent on Bernardo Silva).
The troubles are really piling up, and United need solutions and results fast. Here are some things they could look in to relieve them of their woes.
#1 Hiring a sporting director
Manchester United still do things the old-fashioned way in the sense that the club still heavily relies on the manager and Chairman/President to conduct most of the day to day's at the club, and do most, if not all, of the heavy lifting.
While most top football clubs have adopted the modern model of hiring a sporting director to make key decisions on the coaching staff and playing personnel and a full technical staff to support him. United are still stuck in the dark ages, and risk being left behind by their City rivals if they keep relying on a Chairman who makes decisions not based on football but how much revenue he can create out of them.
That model simply is a recipe for failure against teams who are much better equipped to embrace the future of football, not just advertising and branding. Various changes are needed at OT if the club wants to return to the summit of English football.
#2 Either back the manager or fire him
Jose Mourinho is one of the greatest managers in the 21st Century. Period. That is a statement based in fact and despite the naysayers' constant moaning, Mourinho remains one of the most brilliant footballing minds on the planet.
Sure, his teams aren't the most aesthetically pleasing, but at every club (barring United to some extent) he's achieved results, by hook or by crook. His record speaks for himself.
He's got countless accolades in several countries, a sleuth of players who've played under him that would still go to war for him, and an endless number of people who still believe that he is still 'The Special One'.
They can't all be wrong. At some point, we have to realize that this man is trying to do his job the best he can, but he isn't being fully supported by the people who have made him in charge.
At all the clubs he was before, he achieved Silverware, and at United too, but not what was expected. A Europa League and League Cup are hardly something to write home about for a man who's won a League at all his previous gigs. So what's different at United? Really? What do you think could be the reason?
Everywhere Mourinho has been, he has had free reign on who comes and goes in his squad, everywhere except Manchester United. Here he's had to settle for the likes of Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, or buying talent for excessive sums like Fred, Alexis Sanchez, while has to watch rivals buy players of the ilk of Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, Riyad Mahrez to name a few.
It's evident that the club needs a change, it can either be in the mentality of the board who are not choosing to fully back their man. Or it needs to be the man himself. United won't be short of options, as bringing the glory days back to United would be a headache, but one most managers would be willing to have a go at, given the huge payoff if it works out for them.
#3 Renewing their playing squad.
Manchester United currently have Ashely Young as their starting right back, who is covering for the injured Antonio Valencia, who also used to be a winger back in the glory days.
The club has done an incredibly poor job of strengthening the current squad or buying players for the future, and it is finally showing, as their ageing stars cannot keep up with the other clubs who have worked sensibly in the market, at least more than United.
Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Nemanja Matic, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata are all above 30. Alexis Sanchez, Ander Herrera, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo are all gonna be 30 very soon. This is a squad that needs fresh legs and an infusion of talent,
The club needs to move in the right direction, and support marquee signings like Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku by bringing in players of the same calibre, and help them move in the right direction once again.
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