United Title Owes Debt to Weak Premier League
Manchester United must be commended for tying up their twentieth top flight title, one month before the season is due to be completed. They have certainly upped their game from last season, which many, myself included, will attribute almost entirely to the signing of Robin van Persie.
However, it must be said in mitigation that it has been a pretty weak Premier League this season. For a long time, defenders of the Premier League have asserted that it is the best league in the world due to its depth. Let’s test out that theory for this season.
At the top end of the table, Manchester City have been considerably weaker than last season. Chelsea have not sustained a serious challenge. Arsenal and Tottenham have never been anywhere near United. And Everton and Liverpool do not have the remotest hope of a title challenge in the foreseeable future.
The rest of the league are also rans. United have lost one solitary game against the rest of the league, against Norwich. They also drew against Swansea and West Ham. Apart from that, United have won every single game played against teams outside of the top six, including every single home game.
Last night’s game against Aston Villa exemplified the lack of challenge, after the game was dead and buried after ten minutes, despite Villa desperately needing the points. It was a satisfactory end to United to an unsatisfactory Premier League season.
