Harry Diamond
Darren Fletcher says he is ‘expecting’ former side Manchester United to be challenging for the title in ‘two or three years’.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side currently sit fifth in the Premier League following another indifferent campaign, the club currently sitting a huge 37 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool.
United have failed to seriously challenge for the title since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson during that previous title-winning campaign in 2013, and as Liverpool close in on a first league title in 30 years, Fletcher insists his former side cannot afford a similar barren-spell to their Merseyside rivals.
“Manchester United cannot allow that. The current run is bad enough as it is,” Fletcher told beIn Sports.
“We need to see Manchester United winning the league in the next two or three years down the line.
“That’s being realistic. The bar has been raised in terms of what it takes to win the league.”
United’s decline has coincided with the emergence of arch-rivals Manchester City and Liverpool as competitors for the games biggest prizes, and Fletcher says his former side must put themselves in a ‘position to capitalise’ upon the eventual departures of managerial duo Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp in the coming seasons.
“United have to be ready for Man City and Liverpool to drop off, which will probably come in a couple of years,” he added.
“I can’t see Pep Guardiola still being at Manchester City in two or three years. Jurgen Klopp, too. Maybe it’s wishful thinking.
“Man United have to put themselves in a position to capitalise if that happens. Next season I expect a better campaign and in two or three years, I am expecting title challenges and potentially winning.”
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