With the absence of Premier League football due to the coronavirus outbreak, fans of clubs across the country have been left with little to do in the present day. Instead of watching their teams play, they’re forced to either reflect on the past or look forward to the future.
Supporters of Manchester United are mostly doing the latter, and have built up loads of hype for when their side eventually does return to action. In some minds, the future at Old Trafford is incredibly bright.
Although that could be somewhat true, the reality of the situation is a bit more complicated. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it seems the lack of real football has made fans of the Red Devils forget about the team’s problems.
United supporters need to calm down, and if not, they’ll only be setting themselves up for inevitable heartbreak.
The Bruno hype
Before the imposed hiatus, the Red Devils were celebrating their latest saviour: Bruno Fernandes.
After spending almost all of the January transfer window going after him, United finally signed the midfielder from Sporting Lisbon a few hours before deadline day. He hit the ground running upon arrival, scoring three goals and grabbing four assists in his first nine games for the club.
Fernandes’ impact went beyond the box score. With him in the side, the Red Devils finally had someone who could create chances in the middle of the park. The likes of Andreas Pereira and Jesse Lingard failed miserably whenever given the opportunity, and missing Paul Pogba due to injury made United very one-dimensional going forward.
Able to do a bit of everything, Fernandes can shoot and pass incredibly well with either foot. He’s known for scoring some absolute screamers, and he’s just as dangerous on set-pieces. The Portuguese international is only 25 years old as well, so there’s still room for improvement.
However, to think he’s going to be the man to change everything at Old Trafford is asking a bit too much too soon. Two of his goals for the Red Devils came from the penalty spot, while the other was a result of some poor goalkeeping from Everton number one Jordan Pickford. He’s gone missing for stretches in some games as well, fading away at times. That hasn’t been a problem yet, but it could be in the future.
There’s also the chance others will begin to figure out Fernandes. Loads of players have been unstoppable in their first few Premier League games only to fall apart as the months go on.
Teemu Pukki is this season's prime example, as he scored six goals in the first five games of the campaign, but has only scored five since. United have plenty of historical examples as well, with the likes of Angel Di Maria, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Memphis Depay all starting strong before quickly fading away.
Fernandes is undoubtedly a talented player, but to describe him as Old Trafford’s latest savior is jumping the gun at this point.
Sancho is not a done deal
The aforementioned signing excited fans, and they’re even more hyped up for a potential move that could be made before next season eventually kicks off.
A few months ago, Bundesliga powerhouse Borussia Dortmund announced that they’ll likely be selling English wonderkid Jadon Sancho in the summer. That news set off the Premier League’s elite, who all immediately expressed their interest in the player.
Leaving the academy of Manchester City before moving to Germany, the 20-year-old winger has already become one of the world's best. Up to 17 goals and 19 assists in all competitions this year, he’s putting up numbers comparable to Lionel Messi. He’s gotten so good that Sancho could walk into any starting lineup on the planet.
That’s why United fans are so thrilled, as recent developments have stated that Old Trafford is his most likely destination. It’s a move that makes sense considering the clubs emphasis on signing young British players with potential. The Red Devils are also quite rich, so matching whatever price tag Dortmund sets on Sancho shouldn’t be a problem, in theory.
Convincing the player might be tough, but rumors have indicated that he’s into the idea of being the poster boy at Old Trafford, and being the face of their rebuild. There’s also the added caveat of getting to play alongside international teammates Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire. United fans are starting to think of it as a done deal already, making loads of edits of the player in the kit and welcoming him to the club on Twitter whenever they get the chance.
There’s still a long way to go before we see Sancho at Old Trafford, however. It’s hard to tell at the moment with everything going on in the world, of course, but a lot will likely depend on how the season finishes.
The Red Devils probably need to secure Champions League qualification to bring in Sancho, which will be tough. They’re in the midst of a brutal fight for top four, with a number of teams still in contention. There’s a chance 5th place could get the job done due to Manchester City’s impending ban from European football, but that’s currently being appealed, and no one’s sure if that will stand or not.
Even if United do make it, there are still a few obstacles in the way. The club has lots of money, of course, but they are often hesitant to spend it. The board has been more focused on the bottom line than results on the field in recent years, with fans left fuming when the team misses out on a key target due to monetary issues. Sancho will cost a record breaking transfer fee one way or another, and there’s no guarantee the Red Devils will pay up.
Then there are the other teams who could come in and hijack the deal. If Manchester City are allowed back into the Champions League, then they could offer Sancho the chance to make it at the one place where he failed in the past.
Chelsea have the appeal of being the club he supported as a child, while Liverpool are reigning Champions League winners and soon-to-be Premier League champions. That’s not even considering La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, who can almost sign whoever they want to whenever they want to.
United are still the front runners in the race to sign Sancho, but a lot can change, so it’s not yet time to order those jerseys just yet.
Emphasis on the long term
If the Red Devils do eventually bring Sancho in, they’ll still have plenty of work left to do.
The club is in the midst of a long term rebuild, and it’s incredibly important that they stick to the plan. United have constantly tried to make quick fixes for the last few years, and it’s almost always cost them eventually. Supporters may want to accelerate the process, but that would only end up hurting the team.
There are still a number of holes in the roster at the moment. Left back might be the most pressing issue, as Brandon Williams is too young to be relied upon on a weekly basis, while Luke Shaw has rapidly digressed ever since coming to Old Trafford. Another centerback is needed as well, with Marcos Rojo and Chris Smalling already loaned out, and Phil Jones in desperate need of a move away.
The midfield is a bit more complicated. It’s unclear what the future holds for Pogba, but if he does end up forcing a move away, then the Red Devils will have to replace him with someone else. Not doing that would only lead to further issues down the line, as they’ve already got depth problems to begin with. They can’t rely on Lingard and Pereira anymore if they want to become an elite team.
Up top, United have to make a decision. Is Anthony Martial truly the man they want leading the line for the foreseeable future, or do they need to bring in a more traditional center forward? The Frenchman is quite the enigma, as some love him, while others think he needs to go. The jury is still out, so the rest of this season might be his last chance to impress.
Sancho would be a world class signing, but he’s not a miracle worker. Supporters need to be patient and trust the process. Raising expectations to an unreasonable level at this point will only set up inevitable disappointment.
In need of new management
Long story short, none of the above will even matter if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still in charge come the start of next season. It’s clear to see that he’s not the right man for the job, and it’s somewhat surprising to see that he’s lasted this long.
Solskjaer has been borderline disastrous ever since becoming permanent manager, costing United the top four last year, and he’ll likely do the same this time around when the season resumes. The only reason why the Red Devils are even close to Champions League qualification is because of how bad the rest of the Premier League has been.
The Norwegian only knows how to counter attack, which leads to United struggling against sides parking the bus. Sure, it’s good that Solskjaer can take on the fellow big six teams, but those results don’t matter if they can’t get the job done versus those below them in the standings. Constantly dropping points will cost the team in the long run, especially when it comes to the league table.
No matter how many quality players United sign, things will eventually go wrong if Solskjaer is still at the wheel. Nothing else really matters as long as he stays on board, so fans shouldn’t get too excited about the future until a coaching change is made.
The Red Devils are still quite far away from contending for titles like the days of old, and supporters need to remember that. It’s fun to get excited about what will happen when football eventually returns, but there’s no reason to start losing sight of reality. It’ll be tough, but United fans need to calm down.