The former Nigeria coach was impressed by the goal-fest in the first game week of the English top-flight and has made his predictions for the season
Former Super Eagles and Ajax midfielder Sunday Oliseh believes Manchester United can’t win the Premier League title if they do not lure Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland to England.
The Red Devils made a blistering start to the 2021-22 season with their 5-1 thumping of Leeds United on Saturday, thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ hat-trick and four assists from Paul Pogba.
Although they finished second in the league last campaign, Oliseh advised Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to bolster his frontline with Haaland who has scored five goals in two matches for Dortmund this season.
“In an emphatic manner, Manchester United blew away Leeds United by 5 goals to one, with Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes stealing the headlines,” Oliseh wrote in his column. “As impressive as they were, I still feel something huge is still lacking at Manchester United.
“Though I feel, they should be highly competitive for the title this season, I wouldn’t put my money on them being champions without Erling Haaland’s acquisition from BVB Dortmund.”
Manchester United are yet to secure the top-flight crown since their record 20th league title in 2012-13.
Oliseh, however, tipped European champions Chelsea as favourites to overthrow Manchester City as England champions following their £98 million transfer for Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan.
The Blues kicked off their league campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace after they pipped Villarreal to the Uefa Super Cup in a penalty shoot-out on Wednesday.
“Chelsea are definitely, in my opinion, clear favourites to dominate this season,” he added. “Manager Thomas Tuchel has definitely won over most skeptics with the conquest of the UEFA Champions League last season, coupled with an authoritative finish to the league season last year, beating defending champions, Pep Guardiola’s Man City, three times along the way, without a dominant fixed point striker.
“With the acquisition of Romelu Lukaku, fresh off a personal best season with Inter Milan, winning the Italian league as the league’s top striker, Chelsea can now further play with more variety that will definitely make them extremely competitive on all fronts. Don’t bet against Chelsea is my advice.
“In Thomas Turchel, Chelsea have a coach that has German discipline, the hunger to win, a fresh face and tactical soundness.
“By winning the season opener European Super Cup over giant killers, Villarreal of Spain and coupling it up, seemingly effortlessly by a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace, barely three days later to open their Premier League account for the season, all without Lukaku, it would be financial indiscipline to bet against European champions, Chelsea.”