The 2014/15 campaign was certainly an interesting one for Manchester United. Whilst it was a definite improvement on David Moyes’ only season at the Old Trafford helm, the Red Devils still looked some way behind the Premier League’s other three main title contenders – Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

But Louis van Gaal’s United side is still very much a work in progress that indeed made plenty of progress during the course of last season – at one point even enjoying a ten-game unbeaten run.

So with the new Premier League campaign just around the corner many are tipping the Carrington outfit to claim their first league title since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson two summers ago – including us here at Football Fancast.

And to prove we’re not simply plucking that prediction out of thin air, we’ve conjured up a list of FIVE reasons why United will dethrone Chelsea to claim the English crown for the 21st time in their history.

Van Gaal understands the Premier League better

Louis van Gaal may have arrived at Old Trafford with a trophy-laden CV, spanning his spells with Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and the Dutch national team, but there’s no question the sheer intensity of English football surprised him last season.

In my opinion, that was epitomised by two results; the 5-3 defeat to Leicester City, which proved no game in the top flight is over until the final whistle and even relegation battlers fancy their chances against the Premier League’s big boys; and the shock 4-0 elimination from the Capital One Cup at the hands of MK Dons, demonstrating English football’s unique love affair with the underdog.

It’s something former Red Devils star Phil Neville has recently commented on, particularly regarding the Premier League’s infamously hectic winter schedule.

So last season was as much as a learning curve for the Iron Tulip as it was for the United squad working under him for the first time. One can only resultantly assume his overall decision-making next year – and indeed, during the summer transfer window – will be much better for it.

And that theory can be extended to Manchester United’s acquisitions from last summer. We’ve all heard the adage ‘it takes one year to settle in the Premier League’, so higher performances from the likes of Daley Blind, Ander Herrera and Marcos Rojo are expected.

No more reliance on Carrick

Last season, Manchester United’s results were largely dependent on the presence one man – veteran midfielder Michael Carrick. His win rate for the Red Devils last term was 72%, resulting in 13 of their 20 Premier League victories coming with the England international in the starting line-up.

Without him, United really struggled. From the 20 fixtures in his absence, the Red Devils won seven, lost seven and drew six. In other words, they became too reliant upon the 33 year-old – leading Louis van Gaal to admit that signing another deep-lying midfielder would be one of his biggest priorities this summer back in May.

Indeed, United desperately needed a long-term successor to the ageing playmaker but they’ve gone one step further in signing two this summer. Whilst LVG will likely employ an either/or policy with Bastian Schweinsteiger, switching between Carrick and the German World Cup winner depending on fitness, fellow summer signing Morgan Schneiderlin also offers great style, strength and composure in the holding role.

Suddenly, over the course of just a single transfer window, United’s biggest weakness has arguably become their prevailing strength – transforming an anaemic engine room into the department of their squad boasting the most depth.

Although it perhaps lacks balance, with Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger and Carrick all similar kind of players, the Red Devils certainly won’t be overly dependent on the Three Lions star next season.

OLD TRAFFORD IS A FORTRESS ONCE AGAIN

Arguably the biggest criticism of David Moyes during his nightmare 10 months as United boss was the manner in which he let Old Trafford lose it’s ‘fear factor’.

Indeed, the Red Devils actually finished fourth in the Premier League’s away table for the 2013/14 campaign but came ninth in the home rankings, incurring seven losses against predominantly lesser sides such as West Bromwich Albion, Everton, Newcastle and Sunderland.

But last season the Carrington outfit fared much better at their own stomping ground, their 14 wins and 44 points only trumped by two of the three clubs, Chelsea and Man City, who finished above them in the league.

And of their three home losses last term, one was Louis van Gaal’s first competitive fixture as United boss against Swansea City, another came at the end of a disappointing run of form in April against relegation-threatened West Brom and the third was against Southampton – who one of the Premier League’s form sides at the time. So overall, excusable results.

The Premier League’s rank and file are no longer turning up at Old Trafford expecting to cause an upset, putting the psychological advantage back in United’s favour. Although it must be complimented with good results on the road too, historically, home form has always been a pivotal factor in successful title bids.

WAYNE ROONEY BACK IN HIS RIGHTFUL POSITION

If you hadn’t seen a Manchester United fixture before the start of the 2012/13 season, you’d be forgiven for thinking Wayne Rooney is an attacking midfielder – the role Robin van Persie’s £24million arrival forced him into and the position Louis van Gaal tested him in at the start of last term, at one point even pushing him back into borderline holding midfield.

But the United skipper’s natural position remains centre-forward and despite some lower goal tallies over the last few seasons he’s a very, very good one, boasting a strike-rate of nearly one-in-two throughout his Old Trafford career alongside a prolific return of 48 goals in 105 outings for the England national team.

LVG began to utilise the 29 year-old as an out-and-out striker towards the end of last season and his lapsed approach to finding a replacement for now-Fenerbahce’s van Persie suggests that’s how Rooney will be predominantly deployed again next year.

Indeed, the Red Devils boss has already charged Wazza Roo with the task of claiming the Premier League’s Golden Boot. During his last season as United’s front-man – the 2011/12 campaign – he netted 34 times in all competitions, including a league haul of 27.

That level of firepower, when combined with the netting prowess of Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Juan Mata and Memphis Depay, should be enough to clinch the Red Devils next season’s title.

THE RIVALS HAVEN’T STRENGTHENED THAT WELL

Manchester United’s summer recruitment hasn’t been quite as holistic as many expected. In addition to now requiring a direct replacement for Angel Di Maria, many – including myself – believe the Red Devils still need a top-class centre-half and another striker.

But overall, they’ve recruited far better than the rest of the Premier League’s title contenders. Arsenal have made just the one summer signing in Petr Cech, whilst Chelsea’s business has been limited to replacing their former No.1 with Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic as well as Didier Drogba with Radamel Falcao, who infamously flopped at Old Trafford last season.

Likewise, the noisy neighbours are caught up in a very costly home-grown recruitment drive. But how much former Fulham youngster Patrick Roberts, ex-Aston Villa skipper Fabian Delph and £44million signing Raheem Sterling will actually add to their starting Xi remains open to debate.

So there’s scope to suggest the three clubs who finished above them last season are all giving United the chance to overtake.

Sergio Romero, Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mattia Darmian and Morgan Schneiderlin are all impressive additions, as experienced and proven internationals who all featured prominently at last summer’s World Cup. But as previously stated, United still need to get a few more deals over the line.