Bailly and Pogba’s positives give Solskjaer a lot to ponder

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Accidental or not, Manchester United faces a title challenge. And this month it will show us how equipped they really are to maintain it.

Sir Alex Ferguson regarded the turn of the year as the beginning of business time and United began January with an excellent 2-1 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford. It was a victory that showed many of the reasons the Red Devils are sitting at the top of the Premier League as the middle of the season approaches, while also raising more questions for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to answer.

The most obvious at this time of year will inevitably focus on the transfer window. United generally approach their recruiting too spontaneously, but that failure could turn into a strength this winter. Even with the foresight evidently does not haveEd Woodward almost certainly wouldn’t have seen this January window in the context of a title race. Now he and Solskjaer have to face the next month thinking both in the short and long term.

Reports this week suggested that Solskjaer considered the central position as a priority if United wants to enter the market. But Eric Bailly has timed his return to the side and his return to form perfectly if he hoped to change his coach’s point of view.

The defender made his fourth straight appearance alongside Harry Maguire and possibly earned his second man of the game award in a row, if only for a wonderful last-minute block to deny Keinan Davis what Villa would say was a deserved leveler. He earned the adulation of his full-time teammates, following his show of appreciation on social media following Tuesday’s last-gasp win over the Wolves.

A fit and fit Bailly is certainly good enough to be United’s starting center-back alongside the captain. For the moment, it is both. The problem, however, with Bailly is that neither injuries nor brain farts seem far off. Solskjaer has to think about whether he feels he can trust the 26-year-old to remain reliable for the next five months. If not, then he has to pressure Woodward to source and pay for a central that is.

Paul Pogba may also be reconsidering his January plans. The midfielder wants to leave United, he and his agent have made it perfectly clear. A few weeks ago, he would have happily moved in as soon as possible, but both Pogba and Mino Raiola have to acknowledge the opportunity they have now.

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The likelihood that one of his favorite clubs will rescue Pogba from his Old Trafford purgatory is extremely small this month. But the opportunities will be plentiful if you can finally exhibit the way we all know you are capable of consistently.

Solskjaer has done his bit to facilitate that with the selection of his team against Villa. Pogba was employed in a more offensive role, with Fred and Scott McTominay on the left to protect the four behind. To the left of the three who swarmed Anthony Martial, Pogba put on one of his most influential performances in recent memory.

He played a major role in preparing for Martial’s opening game, winning the ball and giving it to Marcus Rashford before he found Martial’s head through Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Pogba also won the decisive penalty as he delved into the kinds of areas his previous role kept him away from.

The price United pays for providing Pogba with their preferred platform is the elimination of Rashford from the left side. The England striker shifted to the right, where he goes willingly knowing that he is somewhat less effective when he has to cut in with his left foot. That’s not to say Rashford has no clout: he made the same number of attempts on goal as Pogba (4) and matched Bruno Fernandes in shots on goal (2). But a slight drop in Rashford’s productivity is certainly easier to bear if Pogba is as committed for the rest of this month as he showed on his first day.

Pogba’s next task is to dominate United’s six great contemporaries. The Red Devils will face Manchester City next week in the Carabao Cup semi-final, with trips to Liverpool and Arsenal before the end of January around clashes with Burnley, Fulham and Sheffield United. When it comes to this United team, we can still guess how they’ll fare in any of those assignments. But coherence is beginning to emerge and with it belief. If they end the month looking as strong as they started, then no one can deny United, as puzzling as it may be, as one of the pioneers in a puzzling title race.

Ian Watson



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