TEAMtalk's Peter Hall thinks that despite calls for a major overhaul at Old Trafford, a little faith is needed to get United back to the top.

Standing to applaud your team in the final home game of the season is a footballing tradition around the world.

Anfield was still packed to the rafters on Monday night as fans paid tribute to their beloved team, despite much hostility towards their poor showing this season.

However, Sir Alex Ferguson's end of year speech after the Swansea victory on Sunday was delivered to only half of the sell-out crowd that had bothered to stay until the final whistle.

With 12 Premier League trophies, two European cups, five FA Cups and a World Club Championship to name but a few of the successes during the Scottish supremo's tenure, many 'fans' have become somewhat spoilt.

What these people are forgetting is that despite our bitter city rivals being odds-on to win their first top-flight title for 44 years, a win at the Stadium of Light on Sunday will represent United's joint second highest points haul since the Premier League became a 20-team division in 1996.

That's 17 seasons, nine more points than last season's title-winning campaign, and a whole 10 points more than the famous treble-clinching fete in 1999. Yet apparently, we have 'not been good enough' this season.

The evergreen Ryan Giggs and the irrepressable Paul Scholes have been the target for many frustrated supporters, who have called for the Glazers to dip their hands in their pockets and flood the team with superstars to replace these so-called has-beens.

Yet, a few weeks ago these same supporters were begging Scholes to carry on next season, and boucing around their living rooms at Giggs' late winner at Norwich.

With both set to stay on for next season at least, the Red Devil's supporters had better get used to seeing the old guard at Old Trafford because, despite what they may think, Fergie always knows best.

What many of our more fickle supporters need to understand is that Manchester City have simply been a revelation this season, and for two teams to have accumulated such a points haul is a credit to both.

Fans wishing for huge summer spending to match that of the blue half of Manchester will be disappointed to say the least.

We have consistently spent tens of millions on players throughout the Premier League years, and our current crop of talent didn't come cheap.

I am not saying we don't need to strengthen the ranks - Scholes and Carrick played together have flattered to decieve - but one or two big names at most are needed, and that is all we will be getting, whether we agree on it or not.

The money simply isn't there, and to splurge huge transfer fees on players that may not be an instant sucess would only lead to more vilification for our beloved manager and the not so popular hierarchy.

Ronaldo back in a red shirt would be nice, but realistically we need to strengthen our creativity through the middle. Someone in the Yaya Toure mould would be ideal. As with many supporters I was also very impressed with the sublime football Athletic Bilbao played, and at the centre of that were Spaniards Javi Martinez and Ferando Llorente - I wouldn't mind either!

Any other season we would have sealed our 20th league crown, and be running around Albert Dock screaming until our lungs couldn't take it any more as the undisputed kings of English football, but this will have to wait.

We have the talent. We have the mix of youth and experience - Jones, Smalling, Cleverley, Hernandez, Welbeck, Pogba and the Da Silvas will only get better, and with the experience of Scholes, Giggs and even Rio Ferdinand they will have the best footballing role-models that any amount of money could buy.

Yes, we have thrown away an eight-point gap in the blink of an eye. Yes, we were embarrassed in the Champions League, and yes, we will finish the season trophyless. But are we really that bad? No.

We can't win everything all the time. We have still performed in the league, but unfortunately those noisy neighbours have been that little bit better. They have set the benchmark, so with one or two fresh faces, and under the guidance of the old guard, lets win it back next season, and get behind them in the process.