David Moyes claims Manchester United are primed for a new-year title challenge after finally adjusting to life after Sir Alex Ferguson.
Six months to the day since officially succeeding Ferguson as United manager, Moyes sends his team out to face Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in the New Year's Day evening kick-off eight points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal and three short of a top-four position.
The former Everton manager has endured a turbulent start at United, with progress slow prior to the recent upsurge that has brought six successive victories in all competitions.
Ferguson left the club after nearly 27 years in charge last summer, and Moyes admits that it has taken until now for himself and the players to overcome the aftershocks.
He said he was never aware of players losing focus, “but when you look back, you might think to yourself that maybe there was just a big change at the start and it was going to take a bit of time from everybody.
“If you’re a club who chops and changes your manager regularly, you could expect the players to pick up [from where the last manager left off].
“But when you’re a club that’s not used to that, it’s not just the players who feel it, it’s the staff, it’s everybody who works at the club.
“Even for myself, the new manager, it’s a big change to come into an environment where everything has been set in its ways for such a long time.
“It would be a challenge to any football man, anywhere. I’m a football man, I know what I have to do, and I’m going to work towards trying to get it better than it is, because that’s my job.”
Moyes, who confirmed that Robin van Persie will miss out against Spurs because of a thigh injury, insists that United’s recent winning run emphasises the club’s ability to challenge for the title in the second half of the season.
“I think the players needed a challenge,” Moyes said. “The challenge is now, ‘Well, hey, we’re not in the position we should be, let’s get back to where we want to be’.
“I do think they’ve got the bit between their teeth at the moment and I want that to continue week in, week out.
“We’re definitely in it, but we’ve got a long way to catch up. We’re not breathing down the necks of the teams above us at the moment, and we’ve got to try to get a wee bit closer, because once we get in that position, people will know exactly what Manchester United are capable of.”
Moyes confirmed a desire to strengthen his squad this month, but admitted that the rebuilding job was one which would take more than one window to complete.
“Everybody is aware this is a club that continually evolves,” Moyes said.
“In the coming months and years, there will be a rebuilding, I’ve got no doubt about that. We’ll be looking to do that and we’ll aim for that in the future.
“If Sir Alex was still here, he would have said there needed to be a rebuilding job, but it’s a continual rebuilding job going on here all the time.
“That’s part of the job and if you play for this club, you always know there’s going to be competition for places. I think if you manage this club there are always going to be big decisions to make.”
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