Former Manchester United player and coach Phil Neville explains what Louis van Gaal has learned from his first season in the Premier League and why his team are not far away from being title contenders again.
I think Manchester United can be Chelsea's closest challengers for the title next season, but Louis Van Gaal has got to get things right away from home against the so-called lesser teams.
This season, they have dropped points in 10 out of their 16 away games against teams below them in the table. They got rolled over at Everton and Leicester, and drew with Burnley, Sunderland and West Brom.
In the past, the aim at United was always to do the double over everybody outside the top six.
We approached all of those games - home or away - with the aim of winning them and doing that was one of our strengths down the years.
That meant, when we came up against our rivals in the top five, our record against the rest meant that those big games were not must-win and the pressure was off us a bit.
This season, it has largely been the opposite. United have produced their best football against the other teams in the top five and have struggled against the sides that have camped in their own half and made things difficult for them.
Going forward, United need a player who can make the difference in those games, when the opposition are packing their defence.
Chelsea have that with Eden Hazard. Last season, Luis Suarez did it for Liverpool. Those players can win you the title because, when games are tight, they make the difference.
But at the moment United do not have anyone who is providing those bits of individual brilliance in the final third.
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