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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Jamie Kemble

Gary Neville identifies the five things Manchester United need to become title challengers

Gary Neville has named the five areas Manchester United must improve this summer to close the gap on champions Liverpool.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's men ensured qualification to the Champions League on the final day with a win over Leicester City, but they will have their sights set a little higher next season.

Iif they want to significantly improve from this season's efforts, though, United legend Neville believes Solskjaer has some shopping to do and in five particular areas.

"He needs to spend, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, and that's not recklessly, he needs to spend in the right way," he said on his Sky Sports podcast.

"There needs to be a right winger, there needs to be a challenge for centre-forward, there needs to be a left-back.

"There needs to be a challenge for goalkeeper and they need a centre-back.

"They need a top centre-back who can who can bring that level of dominance to the defence like Van Dijk does for Liverpool like Kompany did for Man City."

Elaborating on why a centre-back will be so crucial to United's hopes of challenging next season, Neville added: "You look at every team that wins titles and they have a dominant centre-back and a great goalkeeper.

"Alisson, (Virgil) van Dijk, (Vincent) Kompany and Ederson, John Terry at Chelsea, Jaap Stam and Steve Bruce, Sol Campbell, Tony Adams.

"They have all got great centre-backs and great goalkeepers and Manchester United need those things.

"I think Harry Maguire has had a good season but he needs a partner.

"That's not being fair on (Victor) Lindelof because he needs a partner as well.

"They are both good defenders but I think Manchester United need a centre-back as well."

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