Don't look now, but Manchester United is on a three-game winning streak in the Premier League.
The Red Devils head into the first weekend of December on a high — Wednesday's crushing 3-1 loss to PSG in the Champions League notwithstanding — and looking to keep their modest momentum going when they visit West Ham on Saturday.
United enters Matchday 11 in ninth place, but the compact nature of the Premier League's top 10 means that the club is just five points behind league-leading Tottenham Hotspur. Additionally, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad holds a game in hand on every team above it.
All of that means that United's position in the standings isn't as bad as it looks at first glance, and a sustained run could see the storied club back near the top of the table in relatively short order.
Having strung together three straight league victories, now's a good a time as any to ponder whether United has what it takes to seriously challenge for another title. On "Shoot-Out," hosts Steve Bower and Greg Brady consider the make-up of Solskjaer's squad and whether it's good enough to pose a threat to the early favourites.
Despite recent success, Bower remains unconvinced with the team's forward corps — which is vital to any title challenge.
"[Edinson] Cavani is a great story. [A] top, top striker in his day. [But at] 34, can you win the league with him? Is he gonna play week in, week out? I'm not so sure," Bower said of United's veteran forward, who has netted three goals during the team's winning streak so far. "Can you rely on [Anthony] Martial? We had that debate on another episode of 'Shoot-Out' — I don't think so. [Mason] Greenwood's still finding his way at 19, [and there's] too much on [Marcus] Rashford's shoulders."
Along with the unanswered questions about the team's attack, Bower also feels that the club lacks the steadiness to be a true contender this season. United's current three-game winning streak in the Premier League is bookended by a pair of disastrous results in the Champions League, which points to an apparent inability to remain consistent.
"No I don't think they can win the league this season,' Bower said. "I don't think, consistently over 38 games with that squad, they will hit the level of Liverpool, Manchester City, and, as we've mentioned, Chelsea and Tottenham this season."
Watch the entire episode of "Shoot-Out," where Bower and Brady also discuss Mikel Arteta's reign at Arsenal, above or on DAZN Canada's YouTube page.