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Manchester United's season appeared to be in tatters as Jose Mourinho began his third season as the manager of the club. The Red Devils managed to win just seven of their first 17 Premier League games and found themselves 19 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool when the Portuguese with an illustrious resume was sacked in December.
The board took a risk in appointing their former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the man-in-charge on a temporary basis until the end of the season. The Norwegian, just like he had done so many times during his playing career for his manager Sir Alex Ferguson, proved to be the savior as he pulled the club out of their troubles and put them firmly in the top four. The Red Devils notched up a 12-game unbeaten run in the league until their loss to Arsenal on 10th March.
The loss resulted in Manchester United surrendering their spot in the top four to their rivals and the situation remains thus with the international break on. While the opinion might differ about whether the loss to the Gunners was a killer blow for the Red Devils, there are certain key factors to consider that might work in Manchester United's favour as they aim for a top-four finish.
#1. The Players Were Tired And Sloppy But They Need To Get The Bad Game Out Of Their System And Get Their Season End Run Going
The match against Arsenal probably came a bit too early for Solskjaer and his boys. After the grueling Champions League last-16 encounter against PSG, the injury-hit side were looking for rest. With a number of star players being out injured the Norwegian manager was forced into playing with the same-looking side.
The tired players looked sloppy and in spite of enjoying the lion's share of possession over the course of the match, the early strike from Granit Xhaka proved good enough with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang providing with the second.
The 2018/19 season is now drawing to an end and all the teams will try to go all out when the action resumes after the international break. The Red Devils will, therefore, need to get the bad game against Arsenal out of their system when the action begins in the Premier League and try to give it a final push so that they can replace at least one of the two teams (mentioned before) to sneak into the top four. The task won't be easy but Solskjaer has the artillery at his disposal to get the job done.
#2. Manchester United Can Afford One Loss At This Stage And Still Make It To The Top Four
With eight matches still to be played this season and the gap being just two, the Red Devils can still make up lost ground. Though the team in question - Arsenal have shown consistency this term under Unai Emery, they have two tricky games coming up against Newcastle United and Everton when league action resumes and with Emery's relatively lesser experience in the league, might end up losing the plot to Manchester United.
Another team that might make way for the Old Trafford-based team could be Tottenham. In spite of the consistency they have shown under the stewardship of Mauricio Pochettino over the course of the last few seasons, their form in the last few league games have been lacklustre. The London-based side have lost three of their last four games and have drawn the other one.
In spite of the Argentine manager trying to shrug off the issue regarding the importance of winning silverware, the pressure seems to have taken hold of him and his team appear to be suffering as a result. And that might give Manchester United the ideal opportunity to step in.
Though for that to happen, Manchester United have to take their own chances starting with the match against Watford on 30th March.
#3. Players That Had Their Feet Off The Ground After the PSG Highs Have Now Been Hit Hard By Reality
The win against Paris Saint-Germain came as a surprise for even the biggest of Manchester United fans across the world. Yes, such comebacks were features of the Fergie time but it was the first of its kind of the post-Ferguson era.
The players who were the main architects of the miracle appeared to be naturally on a high following that. The match against Arsenal came within just four days of the big win and it seemed that the stars from the PSG match were not yet ready for such a big occasion - at least not that early.
Solskjaer's men were hit with hard reality in the next two matches, with the Arsenal loss being followed by another against Wolves, that saw them bowing out of the FA Cup. Following the international break though they might be ready to encounter reality with reality and fight back with particular enthusiasm.
