Jamie Carragher: Louis van Gaal can help Manchester United title charge next season

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has backed Louis van Gaal to help Manchester United win the title next season.

The 20-times English champions managed a comfortable 4-2 victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford in the last league fixture. With that win, the Red Devils are third in the league table with 65 points after 32 games, trailing second place Arsenal.

The Dutchman took over the reins at United before the start of the season after David Moyes was sacked in April 2014. The Old Trafford club endured a poor run under the former Everton manager as they finished seventh last season.

However, under Van Gaal, United have bounced back as they are in firm position to finish in the top four. They are unbeaten in the last six league games and the former Reds defender believes their recent form will be a bonus for the next term.

"When you finish seventh last year and a new manager comes in, your job is to get into the top four," Carragher told talkSPORT.

"It doesn't matter how they play, or were playing, they were getting results. United have been in the top four for the last three or four months now probably, and it's only in the last four to six weeks that we've seen the performances to go with it."

"People have more belief now in what he's trying to do. Next season he will be bedded in, the football will come, he'll have more players he wants and people will be more used to him.

"The fact it [the improved performances] has come before the end of the season is a real bonus for them. Looking at them now, people will start getting the idea they could go on and win the league next season," the Anfield favourite added.

United went on to defeat City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in recent fixtures. They face Chelsea in the upcoming league clash at Stamford Bridge and Van Gaal could be without the services of midfielder Michael Carrick, who was forced off the pitch in the closing moments of the game during the derby victory.