Eamon Dunphy believes Manchester United are still two players away from winning the Premier League, but said Jose Mourinho has re-energised the Red Devils and moulded them into a serious force again.
United crushed West Ham 4-0 in their opener at Old Trafford on Sunday, with £75m striker Romelu Lukaku striking twice.
RTÉ Soccer analyst Dunphy said the former Everton man is a crucial addition, providing Mourinho with the powerful goalscorer required to put the league's lesser lights to the sword at home in particular.
"They drew ten games last year against the likes of West Ham. This is what's changed I think. I think Lukaku is a good signing," Dunphy told RTÉ 2fm's Game On.
"I thought it was very poor opposition. You have to say that, but I wouldn't want to begrudge United; they did well. Lukaku made a good start.
"Pogba was better. He didn't look like a £90m player but he looked a bit more useful. This is going to be decided when the big teams play each other.
"Lukaku will give them something, and what he'll give them is in the box. He will score goals and he'll get chances. Do they look like a championship-winning team? Not at the moment, but by a process of elimination I'd say it's [between] them and City.
"United need two more really good players. They don't look right at the back and they need a real quality midfield player still.
"Think back two years to when Van Gaal was there. They had terrible seasons under him. He bought badly; the team was lifeless. Mourinho has re-energised them.
"I'm sure they'll finish in the top four this year and I wasn't sure last year. Whether they're good enough to win the Premier League I doubt at the moment but I wouldn't rule them out because I saw City have a lot of possession against Brighton but they still have problems at the back.
"On Sunday United did something they failed to do last year: put away ordinary teams at Old Trafford."
While United started with an impressive victory, reigning champions Chelsea fell to a shock 3-2 defeat against Burnley at Stamford Bridge.
It's been a strangely turbulent summer at the Blues, with Diego Costa angling for a move and Nemanja Matic being sold to United.
Dunphy said the issues lie a the very top, and doesn't think boss Antonio Conte will stick around for much longer.
"I don't think Conte has the influence he needs to have on who they buy and who they sell," he said.
"It's clear he didn't want to sell Matic for example. They've got to compete in the Champions League this year. I don't think Conte will stay there.
"The reason they all leave, and there's been some great coaches there, is that they don't have what they feel is the power they need to have.
"They've won in the Abramovich era. They've won the Premier League five times and they've won the Champions League. [The owners] will say: 'our way works'. It's not the way it should be, but that's their answer and I think Conte... I think he's got real character, and I think he'll leave.
"Ancelotti left, Mourinho left, this guy will leave as well."
