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After an underwhelming start to Manchester United's Premier League campaign, concerns were raised over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have their work cut out for them to secure a place in the Champions League next season and are likely to dip into the January transfer market for reinforcements.
But, in a surprising turn of events, the Norwegian managed to rally his troops to two stunning results in the span of three days. The question is, are successive victories against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City simply papering over the cracks, or are Manchester United showing signs of genuine improvement?
The Red Devils possess an enviable record against the so-called top-six teams this season, with 3 wins and 2 draws in 5 games, a record that makes for good reading. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ed Woodward's long-term plan seems to be bearing fruit, but is it enough to convince the United faithful that the club is headed in the right direction?
But what do these wins truly say about United? More than anything, it shows a glaring lack of consistency and also the lack of a footballing DNA. It all looks good when you are playing against top opposition when the game plan is to sit back and counter-attack using the pace of your front four, but such tactics would not necessarily work against the rest of the chasing pack, who prefer to sit back and defend deep.
In stark contrast to the bigger games, Solskjaer's side have failed to make their presence felt whilst facing teams outside the top six and their record against the likes of Newcastle United, Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Sheffield United is interesting, to say the least. Had they picked up maximum points against the aforementioned sides, the Red Devils would be sitting pretty in 3rd place, 4 points ahead of their cross-town rivals Manchester United and 2 points behind Leicester City.
So, why is it that Manchester United are not able to put away such opposition? Are they winning now because the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Fred have had an upturn in form or is it because they are being coached well and are finally buying into the ideas of the Norwegian manager?
Over the past 4 months, most of the players as well as members of the coaching staff have come out in support of Solskjaer and his tactics, along with the direction the club's headed in, which are encouraging signs for the manager. But it does not answer the fundamental question - is he a good coach? Is he the right man to lead Manchester United back to where they belong?
The reason why this subject is so important is because of the philosophy that the club is trying to instil again, which is the concept of youth and development of young British homegrown players, as it once was in the early 1990s.
Sir Alex Ferguson never shied away from making big-name signings from foreign leagues to get the fans excited, such as Eric Cantona, Juan Sebastien Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy but he always put his faith in his youngsters who had come through the ranks.
This is the philosophy that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is trying to restore at the club and it was quite evident with the way Manchester United approached the transfer market this summer. As the Red Devils were on the lookout for young British talent who could have a defining impact in the present and develop into pivotal figures in the future, the likes of Harry Maguire, Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka joined for a combined £140 million.
The risk of implementing such an ideology is that you need to be able to back it up with the right coaching abilities and development programs. When the average age of your squad is 24, you are guiding a team of young boys who are trying to prove their worth and become men. These are kids who are still learning their trade and are a few years away from reaching the peak of their powers.
Take for example Jesse Lingard, a player who is now 26 and is not guaranteed to start the first XI. It could be down to a lack of consistency as well as a lack of continuous guidance. His ascent to the big time at Old Trafford has coincided with constant change in managers and footballing philosophy and a combination of factors has ensured that the Englishman has not lived up to his initial promise.
Coupled with putting together a squad of youngsters with potential, Solskjaer hasn't hesitated to wield the axe and isn’t afraid to make bold moves. Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez were flogged off to Inter Milan and the Norwegian showed no hesitation when AS Roma came calling for Chris Smalling, as the trio were not in his plans.
The manager has received the backing of the clubs and its owners, not just financially but also in terms of the decisions that he has taken with regard to football. As ego-smashing as it may sound, he will have to take a leaf out of Jurgen Klopp’s book and take what seems like a young group of players with potential and make them into world-beaters.
The club will give him a year to settle imprint his philosophy with the players at his disposal but Solskjaer will have to iron out his flaws and Manchester United's, to remain at the club beyond the summer of 2020.
The Norwegian is clearly backed by the United hierarchy and has shown in his time at the club that the Red Devils are capable of going toe to toe with some of the giants of the game. The club could be tempted to make a managerial change in the summer if Manchester United fail to find consistency between now and the end of the season.
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