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The Red Devils have struggled to exert their dominance since the departure of long-time manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The successors, David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal failed to steer the club into the desired direction, which prompted the club to go for the 'Special One', Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese manager guided the club to three trophies in his very first season but, failed to create an impact in the league, which continued Manchester United's disappointing trend in the English Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.
However, having settled down in Manchester with his philosophy and signings, Mourinho has managed to give the side a new lease on life and the club is having its best season in 5 years in spite of some shortcomings.
Here's a look at five reasons why Manchester United should be happy, how the season has turned out to be.
#5 Stellar impact provided by the summer signings
The takeover by the former Chelsea manager resulted in a major overhaul of the squad over the two seasons. The signings made by the club last season could not contribute to the results, as one would have thought, except for Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan only displayed their talent in spells. While Pogba continues to find consistency, the Armenian has been offloaded to Arsenal in exchange for Alexis Sanchez.
The signings this season, however, have proved to be instrumental in Manchester United's fortunes this campaign. Despite the hovering doubts and some rough patches, Romelu Lukaku has proved that he belongs to Old Trafford, with an impressive tally of 26 goals.
Apart from that, Nemanja Matic continued his sublime form from Chelsea and has been effective in controlling the entire midfield given the recurring injuries and form concerns for Ander Herrera and Pogba.
The final signing Victor Lindelof has shown his potential despite not getting many chances in the starting line up.
#4 Improvement in the League
One of the primary concern for the club was the squad's performance in the Premier League, where they have failed to finish in the top three since 2013.
However, this time around, the Red Devils made their intent clear to finish strong on the table, after exuding dominance in the initial stages of the campaign.
Despite some nagging hiccups in the middle of the campaign, the side has never truly lost their second place over the course of the season.
If it had not been for rivals Manchester City's exemplary display, a close finish would have been on the cards to crown the winner of the English Premier League.
The club can take some reprieve and improve to reclaim the Premier League for the 21st time in the near future if things go as planned.
#3 Performances against the 'Big Clubs'
Honestly speaking, Manchester United have never been a club that plays for a point. However, with the introduction of Mourinho, the thought has developed within the club and amongst the fans as well.
In his debut campaign for the Red Devils, Mourinho only managed to win 2 matches in 10 fixtures against the big clubs.
The manager has truly managed to turn things around this season in terms of mentality in the big games, as the side has managed to secure 4 wins against the big teams with 2 more fixtures remaining.
The squad displayed a direct brand of play against Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool, which helped them secure victories against them this season after struggling to overcome the same opponents last season.
The attacking threat and potential of the side were clearly evident while taking an early double lead against bitter rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.
The Red Devils played a brand on inspired attacking football instead of absorbing the opposition's assault at the back. The narrow margins in the defeats suffered can also be taken as a fact in the team's improvement from last season.
#2 Less draws
The major wing of the massive Manchester United support was disappointed with the number of games that did not yield a result last season. The club managed to draw several games which resulted in them finishing sixth in the league.
Ticking off yet another box, the improved coordination and fluidity have helped the side to come out with a result.
The dull brand of football evident least season has been replaced by an attacking brand of the sport with the help of the plethora of attackers that the squad possesses.
The Red Devils have only drawn 5 of their games this season in the league. This has proved to be a huge influence in the club's position in the table, where they lie second as of now.
#1 Continued rise of the youth
Manchester United are well known for having one of the most efficient youth systems in the world, and rightly so. The Red Devils managed to lead the tally for most minutes given to youth prospects last season.
Leading the exciting prospects is none another than Marcus Rashford, who has captivated the world with his style of play.
Yet another surprise, has come in the form of the emergence of Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay, who has partnered Nemanja Matic brilliantly in the absence of Pogba and Ander Herrera.
The 21-year-old seems the ideal replacement for veteran Micheal Carrick, who is retiring at the end of the season.
The trust in academy graduates seems to reap for United, as it is evident in the case of Jesse Lingard who has popped up into the scene with 15 goals and 4 assists to his name in a relatively short span.
