United keep pressure on City ahead of busy month of action ...

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In this festive update, we look forward to the New Year and assess the champions recent improvement on the pitch as well as United's prospects of retaining the title.

United have been in fine festive form scoring 10 goals without reply. Fulham were the first to be dispatched at Craven Cottage, where the champions ran out comfortable five-nil

Reds back on track, as transfer talk erupts.....

United played more like the United we know and love at Loftus Road on Sunday, the champions ran out 2-0 winners and deservedly so. Wayne Rooney opened the scoring with an early headed goal from an Atonio Valencia cross from the right. Michael Carrick sealed the victory with an all too rare solo goal in the second-half following a 50 yard run at the Rangers defence.

It was Carrick's first goal

United to step-up search for Ferguson's replacement?....We give our verdict on the names in the frame...

At the time of posting, Manchester United are currently five points behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League. The gap between first and second placed club isn't unbridgeable, but City have the added advantage of a huge goal difference and truth be told, even at this relatively early stage of the season, they have the look of champions about them.

Not entirely unexpectedly, United and

Abject United lurching towards crisis: No defence for De Gea, Rooney and Ferguson as sorry Reds crash out of Champions League...

Not for the first time this season, Manchester United pressed the self-destruct button in Europe when losing 2-1 against Basel in Switzerland last night, a result which sees the champions dropping into the Europa League. It is nothing short of an unmitigated disaster for Ferguson, his players and the club. On a purely commercial level, United will be left to count the cost of lost TV revenues; on

City v United in the FA Cup: It's the worst draw possible for Ferguson...

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Manchester United haven't been the same team since the derby. The early season swagger, attacking play and flair that saw the champions serge to the summit of the Premier League seems like a distant memory. City currently lead United by five points, that and a massive goal difference. In terms of style and approach, City are playing a calculated

Another "wake-up call" for Fergie, as Palace dump sorry Reds out of Carling Cup...

Crystal Palace deservedly dumped Manchester United out of the Carling Cup at Old Trafford last night. The performance and the result was hugely disappointing from a Red perspective and for the second time in recent weeks Ferguson was left apologising to the fans.

The United manager described last month's 6-1 derby thrashing as a "wake-up call". Following the Palace defeat last night, Ferguson