Twenty games into their second season under Louis van Gaal it remains almost impossible to evaluate the progress Manchester United have made under their manager.
They may be back in the Champions League but the mood at Old Trafford is often far from positive as dour, results-driven football has taken precedence over the attacking verve that defined the club for generations under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Van Gaal may be getting the results he needs to satisfy his owners, but he remains some distance away from impressing the public. Yet with United just two points off the top of the table perhaps their manager would be entitled to not care about the opinions of Paul Scholes and others.
After all at the start of last season this team seemed on course for another crisis after missing out on the Champions League under David Moyes. They are now unquestionably a stable club who will finish in the top four barring a remarkable set of circumstances.
Perhaps they could even go further; neither Arsenal nor Manchester City have set the sort of remorseless pace that saw Chelsea march to the league in the first half of last season. There may well be an opportunity for United to get back to where their fans feel they belong.
But what does Van Gaal need to do ensure his team are well-placed to mount a title campaign? Scroll through our gallery above to find out
