"It's been a transitional year, changing the age of the team.
"We won the FA Cup but we weren't happy finishing third in the league. This year, the team is balanced, everyone's fitter and players are getting form back. You can see the prospect of a good team and it'll get better.
"Heinze's improving. He's a complete winning animal. Smith's character is a real plus. No matter where or when you play him, his attitude is exactly the same. And the boy Rooney is showing incredible ability.
"There's no question having Rio back has made a huge difference. And, having Scholes's goals back gives us an added advantage over other teams, because very few midfielders score goals like he can."