Rafael da Silva believes Manchester United could become champions again this season.
United are eight points behind leaders Chelsea and have only faced one team who faced in the top 10 last season, but they have won three of their last four games.
And right-back Rafael believes manager Louis van Gaal's record of winning titles in Holland, Spain and Germany shows it is possible for United to finish first once they adapt to his beliefs.
"Everything takes time," he said in the Manchester Evening News. "It's a different philosophy. If we understand the way we are playing like we are doing, the results come and everything starts to run smoothly, we certainly have a chance of winning the title.
"Louis van Gaal is a strong coach. He admires things that are done right. He asks everybody to be on time for our sessions, we can't be late. He likes to see us training hard.
"So, he has some differences [to David Moyes & Sir Alex Ferguson], especially in terms of his philosophy, and we need to be able to adapt to it. However it's must be right because the proof is the titles that he's won."
Rafael shrugged off rumours linking his fellow Brazilian Daniel Alves with United to declare that he wants to stay at Old Trafford.
The 24-year-old is one of the club's longer-serving players and said he feels like a local now.
"I love my life here," he added. "It is the best place to work. I feel I've adapted to here. The first time I came here I was 15. I came here to train three or four times a year for 15 days.
"I was just 15 and now I'm almost coming up to 10 years here next July. It's a long time. I'm almost a Mancunian. Almost.
"As long as Manchester United want me here, I want to stay, but I have to prove this out on the pitch. I need to put in good performances: I don't want to go anywhere else."