It's difficult to say given the current circumstance. I believe Sir Alex Ferguson used to say that a team had a "4 year cycle". They have been fortunate with injuries, probably aided by the type of players they recruit (good durability). They have been competing with Manchester City for the last 3 seasons and they simply could not afford to rest their players, due to the fact that the replacements let to a marked drop in quality. Some of their players have played the most minutes in the league over the last 3 seasons with almost no breaks. I also think there is an inevitable mental fatigue. Manchester City went through it last season. At their best they are one of the strongest teams I have ever seen.
To get back to the top, they just need to get their injured players back and also recruit in some other areas. Some of their players need at least 3 weeks off but I doubt they will be able to get it, especially if the European Championship goes ahead.
