How Manchester United's current state is hurting every Premier League fan

Premier League match ball

There is a reason that the English league is called the best in the world. There is a reason that top players want to try their luck in the top tier of English football. And the facts back it up. The one thing that stands out in this league is it’s level of competitiveness and it’s unpredictability.

All footballing countries in Europe have a couple of top clubs. Spain have Real and Barcelona. Germany have Bayern. And so on. The EPL, I am proud to state, has a number of top clubs. Manchester United and Liverpool along with Arsenal are traditionally big clubs with a very high number of trophies in their cabinet.

Chelsea have recently won some silverware after spending heavily in the last decade or so. Manchester City won their first League title for quite some time in 2012. While Tottenham finished fourth in that season and were denied a place in the Champions League thanks to Chelsea’s miracle in Munich. In all it would be fair to say, that six teams were supposed to vie for the title this season. That is exactly why most people expected this season’s title race to be one of the most enthralling and close ones. Even though the race is tight at the moment, there is one team that is not quite where most fans, players and managers expected it to be. That team happens to be Manchester United.

As I said above, upsets and surprises are a part of this league. But what has happened to United is something more than just an upset. Not long ago, Manchester United knocked Liverpool “off their perch” – as quoted by their former manager – and made history. They became the first club to have won 20 top flight titles.

Thus, United broke another of many records, and wrote their name in the history books. But this season, it has been a different story altogether. It’s other clubs who are making history against the most feared side in English football. Everton won at Old Trafford for the very first time in 21 years. Swansea, in the League Cup, won for the very first time in Old Trafford. West Brom ended their 35-year wait in September after recording a 2-1 win at the Theatre Of Dreams. And things have not been good for United on the road either.

The obvious question being asked is – What has changed? One thing has, if not anything else. The man at the helm. Sir Alex had the power, unlike most managers, to change the game from off the pitch. His retirement was an inevitability for which no one was ready. Even with his departure and Moyes’ arrival, no one expected things to become this worse. Moyes has the experience to know what it takes to be in the Premier League. But little has gone according to plan since he was announced as manager of Manchester United.

Why this has happened? Why Manchester United are 7th in the table? Why Liverpool are way too ahead of their rivals in the league? Why have United been thrashed by City? What can possibly turn their season around? All these questions are a topic of debate that can go on forever.

But as a Chelsea fan, it hurts to think that a trip to Old Trafford is not a tough away game anymore. For United fans, talking banter has become taking banter as they have had little to boast about this season, while Chelsea and Arsenal fans are reminding them every Monday that they are in the top four while United again couldn’t make the top six. Social networking sites are posting photos about David Moyes giving three points to everyone. The current state of Manchester United is pitiful. And again, it’s easy for the rivals to make fun out of it.

As a Premier League fan I hope that United recover from this. I hope they complete the top six. I would like United to come to Stamford Bridge and give a fight rather than come and give three easy points. It would be better if United made the already tough league even tougher. I hope next season’s title race is better than this season’s. And finally I hope Manchester United become a feared club yet again.