Manchester United have been the inform team in the Premier League since Bruno Fernandes made his debut against Wolves on the 1st of February.
Since the midfielder’s addition to the side, Manchester United has picked up 72 points, more than current champions Liverpool, Manchester City, and the chasing pack.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hit back defiantly when United beat Everton 3-1 back in November in a match that could have seen the Norwegian lose his job after getting knocked out in the Champions league that week.
“Top, absolutely Top. Fantastic after Wednesday night, Thursday morning coming back.
“I just go back to that one all the time, and they’ve shown that today.
“We’ve spoken about it. They’re not going to have the pleasure of seeing us lose again.” Said Solskjaer.
Manchester United Rise
Since then, United have drawn three times and won the rest. The win midweek against Fulham sent the Red Devils two points clear and equaled the club record of 17 Premier League away games without defeat set by the treble-winning side of 1999.
United’s rise from mediocrity to the Premier League’s summit at the halfway point in the season is remarkable. Last year, at this stage, 19 games played United had a 30 point deficit on eventual league winners Liverpool. The gap currently lies at 6 points in United’s favour.
They have clawed back the gap that nobody in their right mind would have envisaged happening at the beginning of the year. Solskjaer’s side has been unbeaten away since starting their current 16-game run at Stamford Bridge back in February when they won 2-0 thanks to Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire’s goals.
Their run is now over a year old with their last away defeat coming at Liverpool when Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah took the Reds one step closer to the Premier League title last January.
It’s dishonest to think a lot of improvement is only down to Bruno Fernandes’ signing. He is a significant reason, but Manchester United’s ascent to the summit is down to other factors. Here are some of the reasons behind United’s rise.
Ole’s rotation
United has never been short of quality. The problem for Manchester United was that they prioritized reputation over quality and hunger. Under Alex Ferguson, United had two players for every position throughout his tenure such as Cole, Sheringham, Keane, Butt, Tevez Rooney, et al.
Solskjær for the first time in his Manchester United managerial career can call upon quality players from the bench when in other seasons it wouldn’t have been the case. On the 26th of December 2020, Manchester United played Leicester City with a bench having Paul Pogba, Mason Greenwood, Edison Cavani, and Donny van de Beek. The year before the bench, Daniel James, Phil Jones, and Ashley Young in a 4-1 win against Newcastle.
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United can go week to week playing different teams and remain strong without upsetting the balance. Manchester United has navigated the Christmas period brilliantly, and that can only be thanks to Ole’s rotation. Having Mctominay and Fred replaced by Matic and Pogba, and vice versa will come in very handy when the Europa League comes back.
Coronavirus has disrupted the season schedule, and it’s made the league season more compact because of the later start. Games are coming far quicker than usual. Squad depth is vital, and clubs with inadequate squad depth have and will suffer as a result.
Ole’s man-management
It’s fair to say Paul Pogba’s Manchester United career has been a turbulent one. On the eve of United’s biggest game of the season. Mino Raiola told Tuttosport he intended for Pogba to leave United by not signing a new contract.
“Paul is unhappy with Man Utd as he is no longer able to express himself in the way that he would like and as he is expected to. Paul needs a new team, a change of air,” said Riola
The comments were ill-timed and were not ideal preparation for the game against RB Leipzig. Manchester United or any club dealing with Mino Raiola knows he’s capable of throwing bombshells for his players.
Ole’s man-management of Pogba since then has been nothing short of excellent. Every manager that’s managed Pogba has never been able to find consistency with the Frenchman.
Under Ole, the World cup winner has a new lease of life. Pogba has become undroppable, and if United are to win the league they’ll need a focused Pogba, they look to have that for now. Winners against Burnley and Fulham have put Raiola’s comments to bed, for the summer at least.
Ole’s signings
United’s recruitment was an embarrassment under previous managers. The club was heading down a Real Madrid style galactico process. Enormous fees for Di Maria and the likes of Sanchez were not signings that allowed the club to progress.
Now the signings have pushed players to a different level. The prime example is Luke Shaw, a player much maligned for most of his Manchester United career. Alex Telles’s introduction to the team has pushed the left-back to heights fans haven’t seen since the days before his leg break.
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United have also signed grafters. Edison Cavani is a brilliant footballer but is also very snide. He’s not the only one. United players like Bruno Fernandes and Edison Cavani are both super footballers, but they are also very snide and will moan about everything,
The added experience of these players with youth signings is a welcome concoction. United refuse to be beaten and have won 21 points from losing positions. The experience of the likes of Cavani can only push Manchester United forward.
Overall
United more than likely won’t win the league, they can, but it would be tough to stop Pep’s Manchester City. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has set United a foundation they can finally build on.
He may not be the man to reach the summit, but he’s made the job easier for whoever comes in, whoever that may be.
