The last few weeks have not been the best for Manchester United. From Champions elect playing for a potential unprecedented second Treble to being knocked out of the Champions League, the F.A. Cup and losing quite convincingly in the Manchester derby.

This major blow has come as a shock to many fans who saw their team on an excellent run of form. Although luck and a series of errors from referees, I don’t like to mention the Nani red card but it may have played a part, one look at the team can show us tiredness and a lack of fitness is playing its part. De Gea, arguably one of United’s most consistent performers this year is still doing the business in net but taking a look at the other positions we can clearly see the lack of explosiveness and consistency we were seeing earlier in the season. Raphael seems to have fizzled out and his superb forwards runs which have gained him a few surprising goals this season have ended, and the defence as a whole, although keeping clean sheets in the games which United are arguable expected to win, seem to leak goals against the big teams on the big occasion.

United are famous for their fast paced wingers and cultured attacking players, but over the last month or so the usual composure in front of goal has come to an end, with Van Persie’s goal drought now extending to eight games and the wingers not seeming to pack any punch at all. And what has happened to Valencia? But even through all of this, the main concern for United fans has to be the central midfield area. They look tired, cannot keep hold of the ball and fail to put a series of passes together.

With Carrick being the main man in the centre of the park, it is a question of who plays next to him. Some impressive displays from Giggs and Cleverly have looked good on the occasion, but we cannot expect Giggs to run the game as he enters his 40th year, and Cleverly’s form is too inconsistent. We may nearly have title number twenty under wraps, but if we want to continue to grow as a club we need to ass more strength in depth to the middle of the park, with more quality on the ball and a tireless enforcer who wont stop or drop his effort as the season starts to reach the business end. I am not going to presume I know whats best for the football club, but as a fan, my concern is one which is shared by many of the Old Trafford faithful.