Man Utd must change to win Premier League title, warns Neville

Manchester United must “change” their approach in big games on the road if they are to win the Premier League, says Gary Neville.

The Red Devils have made an unbeaten start to the 2017-18 campaign, with progress being made in top-flight, Carabao Cup and Champions League competition.

Man Utd 4/1 to win Premier League

They were, however, to allow free-scoring Manchester City to move two points clear at the Premier League summit on Saturday after grinding out a goalless draw away at Liverpool  while their arch-rivals crushed Stoke 7-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Neville believes more ambition will need to be shown against other contenders in the weeks and months to come if Mourinho is to repeat the title success he has enjoyed in his second season with the likes of Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid.

The former Red Devils defender told Sky Sports : “It needs to [change]. If you’re going to win the league they’ll have to be better than that away from home in the big games.

“They’ll have to, they’ll have to make sure they counter attack better.

“The defending part is very good, the resilience, the strength, the defending, the goalkeeper. But you then have to go and score the goals away from home.

“Jose Mourinho’s won championships in this country regularly. He’s gone to places with his Chelsea team, his great Chelsea team and beat teams away from home.

“He knows what he needs to do, he knows his team will have to do better than that away from home in the future in the big games.”

If United are to enjoy greater success away from home, then they will need Romelu Lukaku to lead from the front.

The £75 million striker has enjoyed a positive start to his time at Old Trafford, but he was starved of service at Anfield and knows that he needs to offer more as the focal point of a title-chasing attack.

Neville added: “I was disappointed with Lukaku, I have to say that.

“It's a tough place to come. He looked like he was distracted in the first half. He wasn't himself. He was frustrated.

“He really didn't make any impact in the game at all. No influence. It's the big matches that will define him as a Manchester United striker, not the matches where he bullies teams.

“He's a Manchester United centre-forward. There's a high expectation of what you have to do in a game - win games for your team.”

United have more big tests approaching, with the next three weeks set to see them take in a Champions League double-header with Benfica, along with Premier League clashes against Huddersfield, Tottenham and Chelsea.

A trip to Stamford Bridge will be made on November 5, while a visit to Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal also awaits on December 2 – with those fixtures having the potential to further define the Red Devils’ season.