Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince believes it will take Erik ten Hag at least two years to get the club anywhere close to being capable of challenging Liverpool and Manchester City at the Premier League summit.
Ten Hag, who watched his side fall to an opening day 2-1 defeat to Brighton last weekend, is tasked with trying to bring the good times back to Old Trafford after several years of disappointment. United finished sixth last term and will compete in the Europa League this season.
But in a bid to climb back into the top four this season and push for a Champions League return, United were expected to make eye-catching changes to their squad. However, with just three weeks to go until the window closes, they are yet to secure all of the signings they are in need of.
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United are not expected to challenge for the title this season, but there is hope that they will start to bridge the gap and finish in the top four. But as far as their title credentials are concerned, Ince, who is currently in charge of Championship side Reading, believes it will take Ten Hag a couple of years to build the squad he wants before he can even consider attempting to challenge Liverpool and City, who have dominated the title race in recent years.
"The fans have to give Ten Hag a chance, let him at least have a couple of years, get his team together," Ince told Safe Betting Sites UK. "[Jurgen] Klopp never had his team together in the first year – Klopp took two or three years before he had the perfect balance of his team.
"Ten Hag will need at least two years to have the perfect balance of a team that’s going to challenge the likes of City and Liverpool. We all got excited again, new dawn, new manager, things are going to change, things will be different – and they will be, but he needs time to implement what he wants in this football club.
"It's going to take another two years. Chelsea are building, Tottenham are building, are they going to finish above City and Liverpool? I can't see it."
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