[ad_1]
HThe resurgence of arry Maguire. The constant threat of Marcus Rashford. David de Gea’s response to Dean Henderson’s threat. Bruno Fernandes is Bruno Fernandes. Alex Telles competing with Luke Shaw. Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s new attacking power. Edinson Cavani’s search for excellence. Scott McTominay maturing. The virtuosity of Paul Pogba. And two years of Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s clear managerial vision.
These are some of the reasons why Manchester United are tied on 33 points with leaders Liverpool and firmly in the title race, as close to the top as they have been after 16 games since Sir Alex Ferguson he retired in May 2013. Then the great Scot guided the club to its 20th league championship. In subsequent seasons, the closest a United team has come to the leaders at this stage is six points, Louis van Gaal’s team deficit with Leicester in 2015-16.
There is now real hope among United supporters that their team can finally overcome Ferguson’s departure, that the glaring fault lines seen under David Moyes, Van Gaal and José Mourinho have been replaced by deep foundations under Solskjær. A building based on two fundamentals of every successful team: elite recruitment and an unbreakable ethic of unity.
This last element is key. Restoring club morale and the “United way” was the Norwegian’s starting point as he replaced Mourinho in December 2018 and dividends are being paid this season. This occurred even before this Covid-affected campaign began when Solskjær cleverly handled the aftermath of Maguire’s arrest, imprisonment and guilty verdict in a Greek court for aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. While the defender protested his innocence and launched an appeal, his coach stood by his side and continued to do so when Maguire’s form earlier in the season was unstable.
This was a vital call from Solskjær, a message of unity clearly heard by the rest of the team, and Maguire’s own response is to have reached his best form. The center-back will always fight the rhythm and be prone to awkward moments, but his quiet leadership deserves recognition.
Rashford’s elevation is more subtle. He finished last season with 22 goals, the best of his career, and is once again flying through the goal table with 14. But this season you can see how ruthless he has become. Since breaking into Van Gaal’s side in February 2016, the forward had been guilty of finding dead ends and giving up possession. Now, Rashford’s game management is reminiscent of Wayne Rooney’s: every time he receives the ball there is a greater expectation. At 23, he promises to be a lasting asset for United.
As with Henderson, the arrival of Telles in the summer has given Solskjær an additional option. The attack and delivery of the Brazilian’s left back are more powerful than Shaw, who is the most robust defender. Once again, the competition drives them. On the right-back, Wan-Bissaka’s reluctance to step forward and cross may be a touch over the top by some, yet it felt like a collector’s item when he fired a ball for Anthony Martial’s opener in the 2-1 win. 1 against Aston Villa on Friday.
Wan-Bissaka is 23 and like Rashford is improving under Solskjær’s calm approach. At 33, Cavani requires no external motivation. The Uruguayan is a fiercely driven footballer whose free acquisition seems like the bargain of the season, and is further proof of Solskjær’s ability to match Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola in recruiting players who not only elevate the team, but also rise to the ground. fit the gameplay, something Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho struggled to do.
Klopp and Guardiola also improve the players. In this category falls McTominay, who because of Solskjær’s upbringing has a credible claim to being the first choice and whose two goals in the first three minutes in Leeds 6-2 were the main moments of a dynamic box-to-box display. . . His and Fred’s appearance as a midfielder couple that Solskjær relies on has meant Pogba is no longer an automatic pick. Once again, the Norwegian’s handling of the Frenchman has been smart, keeping him on the line despite the outburst from his agent, Mino Raiola, that Pogba’s United career will end this season. The 27-year-old has impressed ever since, most recently in an effervescent performance against Villa in which he helped create Martial’s goal and claimed the winning penalty for Fernandes.
The latter, of course, is Solskjær’s jewel, his arrival as United began a skyward trajectory that saw him finish third last season and now second and tied on points with Liverpool at the Start of 2021. The 26-year-old, who is the top scorer at 15, is United’s totem, good enough for Paul Scholes to rate him even better than… Paul Scholes.
For the signing of Fernandes and the rest of his work, Solskjær deserves credit. It has not been easy. However, one key question remains: can United keep up their challenge until May? This is a team that can be skittish on defense and clearly not in Liverpool’s class yet.
On January 17, United will visit Anfield – draw or even defeat the champions at their own patch, and confidence will skyrocket. Now comes a watershed moment for Solskjær and his team.
