Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a near perfect start to his run as manager of Manchester United.
He got the team winning games again, and got the best out of players who were underperforming under former boss Jose Mourinho.
The Norwegian helped carry the Red Devils back into a fight for a top four spot, and now the club only sits two points behind Chelsea in the race for a Champions League spot.
There is a newfound swagger to this United team, who have been scoring goals for fun on a weekly basis. However, against Leicester City on Sunday, Solskjaer was able to take a big step in cementing himself as a legitimate option for the permanent job by simply winning ugly.
Early attacking dominance
United had been blowing teams out of the water in Solskjaer’s first few weeks at the helm. It started with a run of three games where the Red Devils outscored the opposition 12-3 in dominant fashion. The football was free-flowing, and the offensive efficiency meant the defence had very little to worry about.
The backline did fail to keep a clean sheet in each game, either conceding late or from set pieces, but fans were confident United would just be able to outscore teams on a weekly basis. The next two games might’ve seen Manchester only win by two, but the victories were comfortable, with the end result never coming into question.
Solskjaer did pick up his biggest win a few weeks in when United beat Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. However, even the most loyal fans of the club would be willing to admit that the Red Devils stole the three points on that day.
David De Gea stood on his own once again and broke the record for saves made by a Premier League goalkeeper this season. He was bailed out by Spurs on a number of occasions as well, to be fair, as the London side couldn’t score to save their lives. Instead of simply putting it in the back of the net, Spurs forwards kept either firing shots off target or right at De Gea. On another day, it would’ve been a comfortable victory for Spurs, but United were just able to nick the victory.
The team kept the ball rolling as United swept Brighton & Hove Albion aside before knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup after an electric attacking showcase at the Emirates Stadium.
Solskjaer ran into his first roadblock as United manager a week later, as Burnley came to Old Trafford ready to frustrate the Red Devils like only they can. Staying organized and compact at the back, the away side left little space for Man United attackers to take advantage of.
This inability to break down their opponents led to United making mistakes that Burnley were ready to take full advantage of, as the Clarets took the lead after a turnover from Andreas Pereira before making it two due to some woeful defending from the home side.
It seemed unlikely that United would ever be able to break down the opposition, with Tom Heaton making save after spectacular save. The Red Devils did manage to catch a vital break late on, as Burnley midfielder Jeff Hendrick stupidly brought down Jesse Lingard in the area, and Paul Pogba made no mistake from the spot.
That confidence boost propelled United to grab a late equalizer when Victor Lindelof poked home a rebound from close range, and Solskjaer's men were able to snatch a point from the jaws of defeat.
Rebounding for the first time
Going into Sunday’s fixture, all eyes were on Solskjaer. He had been challenged for the first time in his United tenure, and critics were questioning if the Norwegian could get the job done in scrappy games when it matters most. At the end of the day, the Norwegian was able to prove any doubters wrong and solidified himself as a legitimate candidate for the permanent coaching job in the process.
The game started with the Red Devils on the front foot, as per usual. Marcus Rashford missed an early sitter, but wouldn’t make the same mistake moments later when he smashed a shot into the back of the Leicester net after a sublime ball from Pogba.
However, the home side began to gain confidence, which made it harder for United to create chances. The tide of the game shifted quickly, as the Foxes were now on the front foot, with the away team having to sit back and deal with the pressure. For the first time, Solskjaer was having to simply preserve a lead instead of trying to add to one.
The United defence that has come under fire all season was finally able to get the job done to maintain the clean sheet and secure the vital three points.
Lindelof continued to live up to his Iceman nickname, staying calm and composed at the back. Eric Bailly, who made his return to the team, was the more daring of the two centre-backs but did immensely well whenever he had to commit to sliding challenges. The wingbacks did what was needed of them, with Luke Shaw and Ashley Young pinching it and clearing the number of crosses that came into the are.
Credit must go to Nemanja Matic as well, who was vital in tracking back and stopping any Leicester attacks before they could even get going.
To thrive in this league, clubs have to pick up points even when they aren’t at their best. It’s impossible to play beautiful attacking football every week, and those near the top of the table are able to get the necessary results no matter the circumstances.
Solskjaer started his United managerial career by showing everyone he can get the team back to their attacking prowess of old. Now, he’s proving he can steal points like the best of them, which is just as vital. If the Norwegian can keep this up, then the permanent coaching job will be all his come the end of the season.