Reds can improve, it's only half-time

UNITED'S record at the halfway stage of the Premier League encapsulates both their improvement under Erik ten Hag and the sense there is obvious areas for development between now and May.

- TYRONE MARSHALL

The Reds will be delighted to be sitting third at this stage of the campaign. They already have a six-point cushion - and a game in hand to Tottenham in fifth and if the title talk was fanciful, the main objective of this season was always a return to the Champions League.

But Ten Hag's team have navigated to that position despite scoring the fewest goals in the top nine and having the worst defensive record in the top four.

They've used the strengths they do have to reach 39 points.

Some of those anomalies can be explained. United conceded 10 of the 22 goals they’ve let in against Brentford and City. While it shows they can still occasionally fall apart, they’ve looked a lot more secure of late and have conceded just three times in eight games in all competitions since the season resumed.

The attack certainly remains a work in progress. There is a reliance on the in-form Marcus Rashford and not enough of a contribution from whoever plays through the middle and from the inconsistent and sometimes infuriating Antony.