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Manchester United's comprehensive 3-0 victory over Brighton on Tuesday night was impressive not only because of the scoreline but also the confidence with which the players played away from home.
Mason Greenwood scored his sixth league goal of the season to give the Red Devils the lead within 16 minutes at the Amex Stadium. Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba then combined to double their side's tally just before the 30th minute. The former then secured all three points with an emphatic volley five minutes after the break.
Much has changed since Manchester United's defeat to Burnley at Old Trafford back in January and a good chunk of the team's improvement can be credited to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In this article, we take a look at five tactical adjustments made by the Norwegian manager which have got the Red Devils faithful excited again:
#1 Improving the defence
Manchester United have always been vulnerable in defence ever since the departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was acutely aware of this fact and made sure that defensive reinforcements were bought in his first transfer window as the club's manager.
Harry Maguire arrived at Old Trafford as the most expensive defender of all time, beating Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk's record. Meanwhile, Aaron Wan-Bissaka also came at a premium price of around €50 million.
The addition of these two players has made Manchester United tough to break down as seen by their wins against other top six clubs. They have also conceded just four goals during their current 15-game unbeaten run.
#2 Change of formation into a 3-4-3 before the lockdown
Manchester United have endured their fair share of injury woes this season, with Paul Pogba having made just his seventh start of the season on Tuesday night. Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford were also on the treatment table at the start of the year.
As a result, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had to quickly adapt to these absences. The Norwegian tactician did so with aplomb by changing their formation just before the coronavirus lockdown.
A back-three improved almost every Manchester United player on the pitch, with the likes of Luke Shaw and Fred particularly thriving in the system. Aaron Wan-Bissaka also improved rapidly in terms of his attacking output as they became a more cohesive unit.
The 3-4-3 formation also helped Manchester United push higher up the pitch, which led to more chances being created.
#3 Manchester United are tactically flexible under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The shift into a 3-4-3 formation may have started Manchester United's unbeaten run but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has moved back to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation since the return of the Premier League.
The Red Devils have so far thrived in both systems. Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba have linked up brilliantly and look like they have been playing with each other for a long time. Meanwhile, Nemanja Matic plays the role of defensive anchor and provides stability at the back. Players like Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Daniel James are also big threats in either formation.
Manchester United's ability to be tactically astute means they always have a card to play in their back pocket. They can adapt to situations and navigate themselves out of trouble better because of this.
#4 Better play-making to match the threat of counter-attacks
Manchester United are still very much a team who thrive on the counter-attack. Their third goal against Brighton, scored by Bruno Fernandes, was a two-pass move initiated by Nemanja Matic as he found Mason Greenwood.
The youngster, who had opened the scoring on the night, turned into a provider as his cross was half-volleyed into the goal by Fernandes. Matic could never have initiated that move had it not been for the arrival of Fernandes, who demands attention from the opposition.
The return of Paul Pogba has also made Manchester United a better creative side as seen by their performance against Sheffield United and now Brighton. If these two can build a bond in the middle of the pitch, Manchester United will find themselves in an incredibly favourable position next season.
#5 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has built depth in the squad
The Manchester United squad has been ravaged by injuries as well as player departures, leaving fans to question the depth within the team.
At the start of the season, many had doubts over Mason Greenwood's ability to replace the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez. The youngster has, however, proven his doubters wrong by putting in impressive performances for the Old Trafford outfit this term.
Brandon Williams' emergence as an option at left-back has also solved another problem for the Red Devils, who had looked light in the position since the departure of Ashley Young and Matteo Darmian. Scott McTominay, Fred and Nemanja Matic have also improved during the course of the season, which means there is a tough competition for places.
Manchester United are gradually clawing their way back up to the echelons of the Premier League and considering the age profile of their squad, there's still a lot more to come from them.
