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4 wins in four games - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has powered Manchester United back into the sun, driving away the clouds of restrain and pessimism persistently hovering over Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho.
His United team are firing on all cylinders, blowing away the opposition, and have won four games in a row for the first time since April 2018. The fact that United are making the games so entertaining has been one of the brightest parts of the Norwegian's appointment.
Manchester United are sizzling right now, to say the least, and they have scored 14 goals in the last 4 games. Solskjaer was desperate for a clean sheet, and against Newcastle, his team granted him his wish. The display against the Magpies was one of resilience and maturity. United were not allowed to flourish, yet managed to seal 3 points.
Even though the whole team was efficient, these 5 players were brilliant on the night under Solskjaer, and ensured that United started the new year on a positive note.
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#5 Ander Herrera
Although Ander Herrera did not have too many chances going forward, he was tidy in the middle of the park.
His alertness and running ensured that United were always moving the ball around. In a game where Pogba was relatively quiet, and Matic took too much time on the ball, the Spaniard had to keep the momentum going.
He started pretty deep, almost sitting alongside Lindelof and Jones at times, as United failed to find a breakthrough in the first half. Herrera was effective in the middle, stopping the Newcastle counters, and also trying to dictate the proceedings from a deeper role.
His position at times was so deep that his manager had to urge him to move forward on occasions, because United missed his energy near the box.
The few times he did move forward, his presence was immediately felt, however, the Spaniard was more concerned about his defensive duties on the night. He shouldered much of the responsibility in the middle, and ensuring that United were never short on men during the Newcastle counters.
It was Herrera's awareness and positioning in the middle of the park which helped United to 3 points and a clean sheet.
#4 Alexis Sanchez
The Chilean was returning from injury, and Solskjaer opted to use him from the bench, in order to ease his comeback process. The Norwegian had clearly indicated his desire to give the Chilean some minutes in the game, and perhaps Solskjaer was looking to put on Sanchez once the game had reached a comfortable stage.
Unfortunately, United toiled on the night & failed to score in the first half, and he was left with little choice.
After things failed to improve in the second half, Solskjaer opted to make his substitutions, and sent in Sanchez to replace Mata. The Chilean immediately breathed life into the game, as his speed and movement put immense pressure on the Newcastle back four.
He was also good while tracking back, and won the ball back a few times. However, his contribution to the second goal was most notable.
As United burst into another counter attack, Lukaku and Rashford played the ball within themselves, and the English youngster drifted to the far post. Sanchez took up an intelligent position near the box, received the ball from Lukaku, and had the time & space to nicely pick out Rashford to score United's second.
Sanchez had a good run in on his return, and gave his manager just what he had asked for.
#3 Romelu Lukaku
For the second game running, Lukaku started on the bench, and for the second time in two games, he scored after coming off the bench. The Belgian was sent in by Solskjaer to take the game by the scruff of the neck, and Lukaku did just that after coming on.
For starters, he scored within seconds of replacing Martial, showing the instincts of a goal poacher which was missing in the team during the first half. Lukaku pounced on a mistake by Dubravka, and finished nicely to give United the lead.
It helped settle the nerves in the team, and also eased the pressure on the players. United found renewed vigour and enthusiasm from their front man, he was also instrumental in carving out the second goal.
Next, Lukaku showed speed and power while driving forward during a United counter, playing a nice one-two with Rashford. He fed the ball to Sanchez, who ultimately set up Rashford to score.
The Belgian put up a brilliant performance from the bench, pleasing the manager. As an added bonus, he scored another goal, doing his confidence a lot of good.
#2 Victor Lindelof
Solskjaer desperately wanted a clean sheet ahead of Newcastle, as his team had conceded a goal in each of his first three games. Victor Lindelof had been a constant feature in Solskjaer's back 4, and against Newcastle - the Swede was stellar in defense once more.
Tasked with the responsibility of keeping the extremely physical Rondon at bay, Lindelof showed no signs of nerves, and matched the Venezuelan throughout the game.
His partnership with Jones has been good this season, but the Englishman was not at his best on the night. Lindelof did not let that affect him though, and looked extremely at ease throughout the game.
The Swede even went ahead on a couple of occasions as United took control of the game in the second half, and was a threat during the set pieces.
Lindelof is finally coming true to his reputation - he was adjudged the 2018 Swedish Player of the Year - and has been an assured presence in the back four recently. It was due to his efforts De Gea was largely undisturbed, and United finally secured a clean sheet under Solskjaer.
#1 Marcus Rashford
From the player who had been gathering dust under Jose Mourinho, to the one who is charging the team forward, Marcus Rashford's transformation has been one of the high points of Solskjaer's appointment.
The English youngster has been terrific since the Norwegian took over and allowed him to play his natural game. Rashford is improving by leaps and bounds with every game, and is one of the most dangerous weapons in the Norwegian's arsenal right now.
Rashford started the game as the focal point of attack, and his desire to run at the Newcastle defense gave the opposition a lot of headache. He was so effective that the Magpies had to team up to stop him on every occasion. His free kick set up the first goal, and he scored the second himself, displaying composure, alertness, and great finishing ability.
The Englishman has now scored 3 goals, and has also picked up an assist since Solskjaer took over. The Norwegian clearly puts a lot of trust in Rashford's abilities, and against Newcastle, the Manchester United #10 was brilliant for his manager once again.
