There's Reason for Optimism as Manchester United Head into the New Year

Rather than a New Year signalling a new start at Manchester United, it is more the end of the beginning at Old Trafford.

It has been seven months since Sir Alex Ferguson announced his intention to retire. Five since David Moyes officially took over as manager. 

All Moyes' firsts are out of the way. First game, first win, first defeat. First derby, first European game, first reunion with Everton.

As he heads into the New Year, Moyes can finally get on with the business of managing United. It's a big enough job as it is without having to deal with the circus that comes with replacing the irreplaceable.

There have been low points and there's plenty left for Moyes to prove. United have lost at Liverpool and at Manchester City. They suffered back-to-back home defeats in the league for the first time since 2002.

They've been stung by late goals against Southampton and Cardiff where once they would have scored them. Moyes' main summer signing Marouane Fellaini has failed to settle and the Belgian midfielder has spent more time on the bench and in the stands than on the pitch.

But ahead of the second half of the season, there's much reason for optimism.

United have won their last six games in all competitions. There's a real chance of silverware in the Capital One Cup and they've qualified for the knock-out rounds of the Champions League where they've been handed a winnable tie with Olympiacos.

Despite their struggles in the Premier League the gap between United and the top four is only three points. They might have left themselves too much to do to claw themselves back into the title race but qualifying for next season's Champions League is a must.

Even United can't afford to slip out of Europe's elite club competition.

Moyes is fully aware it could take him as long as two years to put his stamp on a club run top-to-bottom by one man for more than 26 years. But he can at least console himself that the worst is over. 

United are only ever one game away from crisis, as all big clubs are, but they've suffered disappointment already this season and bounced back. They've been hit by injuries to key players like Michael Carrick and Robin van Persie and found a way to cope.

It's been a difficult start to life at Old Trafford for Moyes as he tries to impose his own ideas on a group of players who won the title last season.

It's a long road but the most treacherous part is over.