Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand is worried Manchester City are much closer to winning silverware this season than Louis van Gaal's side.

City have won their opening four Premier League fixtures as they go in search of their third title in five years, and Manuel Pellegrini will also be hoping to progress deeper into the Champions League this term.

United are without a trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, and are already five points adrift of their neighbours.

Ferdinand, talking in his role as a BT Sport pundit, reckons that pattern is likely to continue over the remainder of the campaign as Pellegrini has now figured out his best system.

"City's problem has been their system -- not the players," he said.

"They have got Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure -- they are all great players, but the system failed them.

"They have got players who are getting older and need to get closer to winning the Champions League to have a hope of winning it.

"We will see -- City are our best hope this year and that hurts me. On current form you can't look any further than them. They look like they are going to sweep the league.

"Chelsea will be their biggest rivals and they can't get out of the blip they are in, but I just think City will win the league by a minimum of six or seven points.

"I think Pellegrini got it wrong last year. I think he has held his hands up. He's got the way that everyone was telling him to go for the last 18 months.

Manchester United have spent heavily on players under Louis van Gaal. no_source

"Don't play 4-4-2 in the big games -- you get outnumbered in midfield. You've not got the personnel to cope with it. So he's changed that system and it seems to have really helped him."

While City have started the season in fine fettle, United have amassed seven points from their first four games and scored just three goals.

Skipper Wayne Rooney has yet to break his duck and Van Gaal was told by Rooney and Michael Carrick that the dressing room was feeling "flat."

The Dutchman is now in his second season at Old Trafford but, despite leading United back into the Champions League, he has been criticised for his tactical approach.

Ferdinand says supporters need to accept the change in approach from the days of Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby, and believes they would still be perfectly happy if trophies were won with Van Gaal's more possession-based football.

"The philosophy is completely different," the former England defender said.

"Manchester United supporters now have to go away and re-educate themselves on how to watch Manchester United. Don't go there expecting to see free-flowing, attacking, gung-ho football.