Why Man Utd Will Have No Real Need to Dip into the Transfer Market in January

Chelsea need general depth when it comes to the January transfer window. Liverpool desperately need competent defensive reinforcement, while Everton need width and pace despite spending well over £100m on new players during the summer.

Manchester United are in a different position, though. Their squad looks very strong and one can argue that, as things stand, there won't be any need for January signings.

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Jose Mourinho's side could hardly have made a better start to the season. Only Manchester City's marginally superior goal difference is keeping the Red Devils off top spot in the Premier League at the October international break, while United are scoring far more freely than they have in any of the four full seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

Criticism has come from those highlighting that they are yet to face any opposition in the top half of the table, but what is important is that United have been comfortably winning games - at home against the likes of West Ham, Swansea and Everton - in which they struggled in 2016/17.

With 21 goals scored in seven games, there is attacking depth that would make virtually every other team in the world jealous. Romelu Lukaku has been in fine form since sealing a move from Everton in the summer, while Anthony Martial and and Marcus Rashford seem to be making each other better by fighting for the same spot in the team - it shows just what having healthy squad competition can do.

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Juan Mata, despite many believing the Spaniard could become surplus to requirements, has been just as important as ever. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is coming into his own after taking a first season to adapt, and Jesse Lingard is another hard working attacking midfield option.

In deeper positions, United have Ander Herrera in reserve, while Mourinho recently stated that he's never seen Marouane Fellaini or Nemanja Matic play as well as they are doing - those comments were made a couple of weeks before Fellaini scored a brace on his most recent appearance. Fans might previously have complained when Fellaini was the next best option, but the Belgian seems to have finally won the support of the fans who berated him for so long.

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Although injured at this particular moment, Michael Carrick is an extra back-up option.

When January comes around, the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo from long-term injury will effectively be like having two new signings to boost key areas of the team anyway. It may be that Paul Pogba is also out until December after recent hamstring trouble and so the same could be said for him as he returns to action too.

Critics might claim that all three could take time to reach full match sharpness after lengthy absences. But that is surely little different to new signings taking time to adapt to new surroundings, especially if those new signings were to arrive from abroad.

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At the back, Phil Jones has largely stayed fit, while Eric Bailly looks like he can only get better with time. Chris Smalling is no longer an automatic starter, but it would certainly be difficult to find a better option to strengthen. On top of that, Victor Lindelof has hardly featured yet.

Luke Shaw is slowly returning to full fitness, Ashley Young has come into the team and performed admirably when called upon. There are also younger options for even more depth as well - Axel Tuanzebe has earned Mourinho's faith, as has Scott McTominay. Even 17-year-old Angel Gomes could make a handful of further appearances this season after debuting in May.

United have arguably the strongest squad in the Premier League. There are already plenty of options for rotation and resting certain players without compromising the overall quality of whatever team Mourinho chooses to name week to week.

Things may change if games against stronger opponents in the coming weeks flag specific weaknesses, but barring a freak injury crisis that sidelines five, six, seven or more players, Manchester United really don't need to do any shopping this January.