Roy Collins asks the experts whether Alex Ferguson's team have overcome early-season problems for a pivotal three-week period

Weak squad

Although Alex Ferguson was one of the first managers to advocate a squad system big enough to chase honours at home and abroad, early-season injuries left United looking short. "Whereas the manager normally chops and changes from game to game, there was a spell before Christmas where we probably only used 14 or 15 players over a period of nine to 10 games," says United's winger Ryan Giggs. "That was very unusual but the manager had no choice."

The former England striker Gary Lineker believes United lack strength in depth in key positions. "I definitely don't think they have got as strong a squad as in recent years, which shows in their lack of cover in certain areas. They are a bit short up front and if Ruud Van Nistelrooy was to suffer an injury, they would be considerably weakened. They also lack a bit of cover at full-back, particularly when they have had to move Mikael Silvestre from left-back into the centre to cover for injured players."

Roy Keane has even been used as an emergency centre-half but the former United legend Paddy Crerand also believes the biggest problem is up front. "Alex Ferguson has said that he always likes to have four strikers but he hasn't got four at the moment."

Ferguson admits: "We haven't got the biggest of squads. If we got injuries like at the start of the season, it would be a massive problem."

Poor attitude

United's feeble surrender to Manchester City in November suggested a side that had lost its focus and desire. Ferguson said he wished he could take the fans into the dressing room to demand an explanation from the players. "Fergie has got the team and the tactics all wrong," said the former United striker Stuart Pearson. "Veron is just embarrassing and must be sold off. Players are lacking the passion of old. That was the worst performance I have seen in five years."

Questions were also asked about the manager's commitment because of his increasing involvement in horseracing. "People started to wonder whether he was too involved with other things and the players certainly seemed to have lost their hunger," said the former Arsenal and Leeds manager George Graham.

"But they've all knuckled down and now they're right back in the title race. They've got back that desire that all great champions need, to be the best year in and year out, no matter how many times you've won things." Ferguson admits: "We've dropped games to Bolton, Blackburn and Leeds, all local games that perhaps don't command the same importance in the players' minds as maybe Arsenal, Newcastle or Real

Out of position

Ferguson's obsession with playing Juan Sebastian Veron, even when clearly out of form, has meant playing Paul Scholes up front where he has looked none too comfortable. Van Nistelrooy has also been asked to play as a lone striker, making him less effective.

Crerand believes the changes were made to accommodate the team's European needs but hampered their Premiership progress. "The side have looked very comfortable in the Champions League because they have learned to play a more patient, less gung-ho game. But early in the season, it did not work so well in the Premiership and their away record suffered. United were just not being adventurous enough and were not scoring enough goals. They've stepped that up in recent weeks, helped by the fact that they clinched their place in the Champions League quarter-final with two games to go." Graham adds: "I couldn't figure them out at all earlier in the season but now they have a more recognisable shape."

Defensive frailties

Despite winning nothing last season, Ferguson stubbornly extended the contract of Laurent Blanc, who was blamed for many of the worst defensive moments last season. But since Blanc played in back-to-back defeats against Blackburn and Middlesbrough before and after Christmas, he has not been seen in the Premiership.

Rio Ferdinand, who along with Wes Brown, has missed much of the season through injury, has somehow escaped the criticism in a back four that has changed more often than a kaleidoscope. "They were almost left with Hobson's choice in defence at times but now they seem to have got almost a first-choice back four," says Lineker.

"Overall, they've been excellent defensively, letting in fewer goals than anyone else in the Premiership," says Crerand. "Up front has been the problem." Graham, who knows a bit about defensive organisation, says: "They have an embarrassment of riches there now. I was very impressed with Brown and Silvestre as a centre-back partnership for a while and John O'Shea is a great prospect. He is so versatile that no one can even be sure what his best position is."

Lack of form

When Bolton became the first team to win at Old Trafford last season, their fans had T-shirts printed to commemorate the moment. But it looked like carelessness on United's part when they pulled it off again this term; then they managed only a point at the Reebok in February.

Giggs, who was booed by Old Trafford supporters after a number of off-key performances, admits he was below par. "Before Christmas, my form was not up to my normal standard and freshness was definitely an issue because I had played more games than in previous years. The manager dropped me for a few games and since Christmas, I think I've done really well."

Ferguson says: "It's very difficult to have the gas full on all the time but the players won't get a better chance than the one they have now. I can't think of a time at United when there have been five games together that have been this important."