"The gap between Manchester United and Manchester City is huge" - Pundit claims Red Devils will not challenge for the PL this season

Former Manchester United forward and football pundit Andy Cole recently stated that the Red Devils aren't capable of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League this season.

Erik ten Hag and Co. had a good 2022-23 season, winning the EFL Cup. They also finished third in the Premier League, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League while reaching the final of the FA Cup as well.

On the other hand, Manchester City won their fifth Premier League title in six seasons, winning the treble in the process, alongside the FA Cup and the coveted Champions League.

Despite acquiring the likes of Mason Mount, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Hojlund, the Red Devils have looked fairly unconvincing so far this season. The football pundit gave his thoughts on his former team's chances of winning the title this season (via Betfred Insights):

“First and foremost, to come back from 2-0 down [against Nottingham Forest] is a massive feat, especially when you consider how early on in the season it is. When it comes to Manchester United challenging, it all depends on which capacity."

Cole continued:

"I believe they could win another cup and have a good season but when you talk about challenging for the league title, then people need to start being realistic. The gap between Manchester United and Manchester City is huge."

He added:

“I hear people say nonsense things like, ‘If they bring in this player, then they’ll win the Premier League.’ What if every team brought in a top player, are they all going to win the league? That’s obviously not possible. I saw Harry Redknapp say that if Manchester United brought in Harry Kane then they would have won the Premier League this season. How?"

"Do Manchester City only need to bring in one player to improve themselves? I don’t think they do, so I think in Manchester United’s case, it’s going to be very difficult for them to compete for the Premier League title this season, but the top four isn’t out of their reach.”

The Red Devils are back in action on September 3 when they face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

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How have Manchester United and Manchester City fared so far this season?

Andy Cole claimed that the gap between Manchester United and Manchester City was too large for the former to mount a title challenge. Let's take a look at how both clubs have fared this season to date.

Erik ten Hag's men have garnered six points from a possible nine and are currently eighth in the table. On the other hand, the Cityzens are currently at the summit with nine points.

United were fortunate to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in their league opener before being dismantled 2-0 against Tottenham Hotspur the following week. United did manage to return to winning ways against Nottingham Forest via a 3-2 comeback last weekend.

Meanwhile, Manchester City continued from where they left off last season by dominating their opponents. They kicked off their campaign by dispatching Burnley 3-0 before showing their defensive prowess by securing an important 1-0 win against the dangerous Newcastle United in their second game.

Pep Guardiola and Co. also managed to secure a 2-1 win against Sheffield United last week to ensure a perfect start to the season. They next face Fulham at home on September 2.