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Everything is right with the world again! That's what Manchester United fans would tell you at least, as for the first time in recent memory, the Premier League's most successful side have looked like the swashbuckling, dominating and entertaining team of old they once were under former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
This has coincided with the arrival of caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a Manchester United legend in his own right, after the departure of former boss Jose Mourinho.
5 games into his reign as boss, his side has won all 5 games, scoring 16 goals and conceding just 3 in return. The last time they were on such a run was in January 2018, and results this season were certainly not up to the mark.
5 games in, there's a large enough sample size for us to draw comparisons between the incumbent 'Ole' and the former boss 'Jose'.
Here are 5 things Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done better than Jose Mourinho:
#1 Stabilised the central midfield
One of the first tasks Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had was to develop a stable and solid midfield to both support the defence and distribute the ball quickly to spark counter-attacks.
In his first game away at Cardiff, Ole deployed the midfield trio of Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera, and Paul Pogba and won the game comfortably 5-1.
In his next assignment, he tinkered with the side, giving the Brazilian Fred the start ahead of Herrera, but just after 53 minutes, reverted to the trio that dominated the game at the Cardiff City Stadium.
In the games to follow, he has established the trio as the first-choice midfield combination, something which was definitely lacking under Mourinho and the results have justified his selection.
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#2 Ensured Paul Pogba is at his best
The tension between Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba had reached a tipping point towards the end of the Portuguese's reign, and it became clear that someone had to go.
The management decided to stick with the Frenchman, and have been rewarded by some sublime displays so far.
Football can be a simple game at times, you sometimes just need your best player at his or her best to win matches. For Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, that has proven to be the case as Pogba has performed at his best to elevate his side.
When Pogba turns it on, there are a few players in the Premier League with his combination of athleticism, vision, and genius.
While he was instrumental against Cardiff, it was against Huddersfield, and Bournemouth, that he really turned it on, grabbing a brace in each encounter on his way to becoming Manchester United's 'Player Of The Month' for December.
#3 Stressed the positives, not the negatives
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made all the right noises after being named Manchester United boss. At every press conference, he has stressed the values of 'happiness' and 'joy' and playing 'the Manchester United way'.
While he did not have much time before his first game in charge, his positive attitude had an instant impact on the players as they scored 5 goals for the first time in a match since Sir Alex Ferguson's last game in charge.
In his very first interview, he said, "Yes, of course. We’re in a results business and we want to win games. That’s our job – mine, Mick, the staff’s job – to help the players to do. We just want to see them play the football they can do."
It's been all positive from Ole so far and that has reflected on the pitch.
#4 Created sustained competition amongst the forwards
While Ole has stabilized the midfield, it is up-front where he is really working his magic. Giving Marcus Rashford a string of games as a centre forward seems to be already be bringing the best out of both him, and Romelu Lukaku, and this is something we can expect to see more of.
Manchester United might have problems in defense but have a plethora of exciting attacking options. When all the players are fit, Ole has a number of options to choose from- Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial, Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata can all take up positions in the forward line.
We have seen Ole try different combinations up top, and we can expect that to continue in the future. As a striker himself, Ole can provide unbelievable wisdom and help the players elevate their games to the next level.
#5 Playing the Manchester United way
Fans weren't certain of what to expect from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when the Norwegian took charge, except for that he would certainly help the team play The Manchester United Way again.
For most fans, who had become disillusioned after the spells under Moyes, Louis Van Gaal, and Mourinho, the prospect of United playing attacking free-flowing, fearless football had taken precedence over the team getting results.
Ole has done exactly that. From his very first game in charge, there was a noticeable difference in the way the players went about their game. Players were more willing to be brave, and trust themselves to do well. This has led to a massive change in the mood around the club!
While the first few months of the season was mostly 'doom and gloom', the current era, best represented by the chants of 'Ole Ole Ole' during the games is one of happiness and unbridled joy.
Ole will know there are sterner tests to come. But 5 wins out of 5, and to get Manchester United fans dreaming again? Oh Blimey! What a start.
