Wayne Rooney is adamant that Manchester United will challenge for the title this season and says it was always going to take time to adjust to the Jose Mourinho era.
United left Anfield with a valuable point on Monday night, despite questions being raised about their cautious approach in the goalless draw against Liverpool.
Although United spent just shy of pounds 160?million on new recruits, they remain a work in progress - Rooney arguing that the transition from Louis van Gaal to Mourinho was never going to be seamless.
"I do think we'll be challenging this season - we've still got that belief and it is even stronger after working with this manager, and the players over the last few months," he said.
"I think we've got a fantastic squad that is ready and capable of challenging. I'm sure over the next few weeks or couple of months we will have our way of playing, and it will be his way of playing.
"It is a different way of playing, but if you're an individual you should learn what the manager wants."
Although Rooney has his own problems to resolve having lost his place, he offered a defence of Paul Pogba, who has so far failed to justify the extraordinary price tag of pounds 89.25?million. "Paul is a fantastic player, I think he is working hard and he is doing well," said Rooney.
Mourinho, meanwhile, has been contacted by the Football Association for his observations on his comments about referee Anthony Taylor prior to the Anfield clash.
On Friday, Mourinho was asked about Altrincham-based Taylor being given the game after Keith Hackett, the former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited body, claimed the appointment would place undue pressure on the official.
New rules were introduced in 2009 in an attempt to crack down on pre-match comments about officials which could be viewed as intimidatory or influential.
After Monday's game Mourinho praised Taylor's performance. "Can I speak about the referee without being punished?" he asked the club's press officer.
After being given the go-ahead he added: "He had a good game and I am happy for him because people with responsibilities put a lot of pressure on him and it was very difficult for him to have a good performance, which he had."
There were no issues over the behaviour of the fans, despite fears that the match might see a repeat
of the trouble that has marred previous fixtures. Merseyside Police's match commander, superintendent Paul White, said: "I would like to thank the fans of both clubs for their exemplary behaviour last night, before, during and after the game."
An average of 2.8 million people tuned in to watch the match on TV - the biggest audience for a Premier League game since United beat Arsenal 1-0 in November 2013.