Ashley Young has talked up Manchester United’s chances of retaining the title, insisting they were never out of the race.
The Reds romped to a record-extending title number 20 last season, before Sir Alex Ferguson announced he was finally retiring after 26 years at the helm. David Moyes was the man chosen to replace his compatriot Scot, but the former Everton manager has found his first six months at Old Trafford fairly difficult.
Successive home defeats to Everton and Newcastle United earlier this month means United have lost five matches already, and they enter the New Year eight points behind leaders Arsenal. However, they have won their last four matches, and Young believes they are still very much in the race to retain their crown.
“If you were to ask anybody around the club, no-one would have ever said we were out of the title race,” said the England international. “We have to just keep winning games. Our momentum is building now and we have to keep playing as we have done to take those chances which will see us back up the table.”
Young, meanwhile, started the season fighting not just for a starting place, but for a future at Old Trafford. However, he has recently found the sort of form which persuaded Ferguson to spend £18million on him in the summer of 2011, with the former Aston Villa forward scoring two spectacular goals.
The 28-year-old will hope to be given another chance to continue his fine form on Wednesday, when United open their new calendar year with the visit of Tottenham Hotspur in another crucial Premier League match.
