#1 Winter transfer market reinforcements
It all depends on the winter transfer market now. Jose Mourinho continuously asked the board throughout the summer market to sign a quality centre-back, but they failed to.
The likes of Maguire and Boateng stayed with their current employers because no interesting offer was made from the United board.
Now the UCL group stage games are out, and if the board thinks that they can stroll past teams like Valencia and Young boys, let me be the one to burst the bubble.
The likelihood of Juventus topping Group H is high, but Spanish teams are not to be underrated. Valencia could surprise Juventus, you never know. United have got a tough group, compared to other teams.
Valencia is even stronger than Sevilla, and they possess immense strength and pace in attack. Moreover, their defence is settled, unlike United's, and they have pretty good options for the midfield.
If the board does not plan on supporting the manager to bring in reinforcements, cheap or not, they won't be lasting in the UEFA Champions League.
The winter transfer window will play a huge role in United's performances in the remainder of the season. There are top quality players available in the market, and the board must support the manager and the transfer team to make transfers.
This will likely be the last chance Mourinho gets to show his worth at Old Trafford, and if United fails to win silverware this season, I doubt if he'd stay for yet another season.
There are world-class managers in abundance who could take up the job of rebuilding The Red Devils' status. The likes of Conte and Zinedine Zidane could provide what the fans need, and what the board expects. However, if Mourinho can win top tier trophies with his 'boring' style of football, Manchester United fans shouldn't mind much.