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Man Utd: Why keeping Edinson Cavani for one more year is ideal for all parties involved

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Edinson Cavani is proving to the doubters that age is just a number, as he has directly contributed to 11 league goals in just under 1200 minutes of Premier League football. When joining Manchester United on a free transfer in October 2020, majority of football supporters were expecting him to be another Angel di Maria, Memphis Depay or Radamel Falcao, a few well-known players that moved to Old Trafford with high expectations on their heads but failed to deliver and settle into the club.

However, the Uruguayan international has made an instant impact on and off the pitch, from leading the line in the number nine role to showing his winning mentality and most importantly, rubbing it onto the younger players in Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. Not only that, but he also offers something different when compared to the other forwards, as his movement in the final third is simply top notch and his aerial presence allows the wide players to cross into the box frequently.

With Anthony Martial having an awful season compared to his usual standards, scoring seven goals in 45 appearances in all competition for club and country, both Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been able to handle the situation to some extent due to the goods provided by the former Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain centre-forward. Given that the Frenchman is out with a knee injury for the remainder of the season, if Cavani continues to work on his performances and attacking numbers week in and out, his stocks as an important player will continue to rise for sure.

For sure, he has not enjoyed his first full season in England to full effect, as the country have been in a strict lockdown for majority of the period and he has not received the perfect welcoming from the Old Trafford faithful, who are yet to attend the stadium since March 2020. Also, he had to wait a couple of games before making his debut for the side, due to the quarantine rules of self-isolating for 10 to 14 days when entering the country, preventing him from getting off the ground instantly.

Despite the rumours linking him with a return to South America, he still has the work rate, the fine movement off the ball and most importantly, he knows where the back of the net is, in order to have more one quality season in Europe before moving to Argentina or Uruguay. Likewise, one more year of the striker, who is aging like fine wine, will prevent the club from worrying about bringing in a forward this summer, as Erling Haaland or Harry Kane will not come cheap for any potential buyers.

Overall, it would be a no brainer for Edinson Cavani to stay at the football club for another season as they are currently in second place in the Premier League and have recently qualified for the Europa League final. Should they finish the campaign with a silverware, along with having a dominant summer transfer window and keeping the South American hitman for the 2021-22 season, then the side should have their best chances of competing in all competition since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

And lastly, with the club’s lack of ability to complete deals effectively and in a smooth manner like how rival clubs in Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City do, it would not be a surprise to see them offering Cavani a contract extension on the final days of the season, allowing them to focus on the priority signings in Declan Rice and Jadon Sancho, who are linked with the club on a regular basis.

Man City 0-2 Man Utd: Three things we learnt as the Red Devils show their class in a big game

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Manchester United continue to their amazing form away from home as they visited the noisy neighbours and walked away with the three points, a clean sheet and a solid performance from the team as a whole. With this victory, it leaves them 11 points behind Pep Guardiola’s men, however, the Red Devils are able to return into second place and a step closer to Champions League football.

Despite the likes of David De Gea, Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba being unavailable for the Manchester derby, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were still able to hold up their own and execute their game plan to full effect. On the other hand, Manchester City were dominating possession as always and had created a couple of really good chances but were missing the clinical player to take them.

Given the outcome of one of the most intense Premier League fixtures of the season, Manchester United will be hoping to continue this form to confidently finish in the top four positions whilst compete on all fronts in the FA Cup and Europa League. Meanwhile for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, they will not want any last-minute slip-ups as they seem on course to win the league title.

With no further ado, here are the three things we learnt from United’s latest league fixture…

Dean Henderson stepping up in David De Gea’s absence

Manchester United are expected to be without David De Gea for the next couple of weeks, who is currently in Spain after his partner had given birth to their daughter just a couple of days ago. Although there were some doubts about the Spaniard’s presence being missed with some crucial fixtures coming ahead, Dean Henderson has entered the team and stepped up better than expected.

With a monumental save at the end of the Crystal Palace fixture and five important saves during the Manchester derby, Henderson is starting to prove himself to the manager and the rest of the coaches at the football club. Not only that, but the goalkeeper has shown how much of a leader he is, along with his ability to play with the ball at his feet and his composure of playing as a sweeper keeper, leaving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a good headache of who is number one keeper should be.

Outstanding performances from Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw

The fact that Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw were huge doubts ahead of the derby, and both of them went on to produce an outstanding performance on and off the ball, shows the type of sacrifices the players in the squad are willing to make for the manager and the club. If the duo were not able, the expected replacements for the pair would have been Alex Telles and Mason Greenwood, who would not have lived up to the expectations of the Manchester United supporters.

Martial, who has had a very poor season compared to his usual standards, showed many bright moments of his former self, where he held the ball up impressively and was always willing to take on one or two players in the middle of the pitch. Turning the focus onto Luke Shaw, he is quite clearly showing that he is currently the best left-back in the league, as a number of wingers are finding problems in getting past the defender, and he is also implementing his attacking ability all campaign.

The Red Devils showed composure defensively and their class on the counter

A lot of questions were raised ahead of the Manchester derby, especially towards Manchester United’s results against the big teams in the Premier League, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s lack of ambition and attacking plans were questioned by his critics. On the other hand, his side showed what they are about at the Etihad Stadium, as they showed their composure in the defensive areas as well as their pure class on the counterattack.

The Red Devils have proven to be more dangerous in transition and on the counter through the pace and movement of the likes of Daniel James, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw, whereas, they have had constant difficulties in breaking down a deep block against teams such as Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and West Brom. If the side can be more proactive and intelligent on the creative aspect of the game, then for sure, the team will be successful under the 48-year-old Norwegian.

Man Utd: Donny van de Beek’s time has come to make a name for himself

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Since joining Manchester United in the summer from AFC Ajax for a fee of £40million, Donny van de Beek has not had the perfect of starts to his new adventure at Old Trafford. So far this season, he has only made six league appearances, which have all been from the bench, where he has completed only 88 minutes of English football in his first months under manager Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer.

However, with the recent knocks to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay, he was given his first Premier League start against Southampton, where he was able to show his intelligence on the ball, impressive movement and ability to help the team tick from midfield to attack. The Dutchman played the full game, completing 38 successful passes in 64 touches of the ball, winning seven out of 12 ground duels as well as achieving four tackles, proving to show how complete he is as a player.

Van de Beek is more than capable of playing in different tactical roles in midfield, from being a ball progressor in a double pivot to a box to box midfielder in the number eight position, and also as the advanced midfielder in the number ten role, which he thrived within at Ajax. In his final season in Eredivise, he produced eight goals and five assists in 23 league appearances, as he excelled as the attacking player in a three-man midfield, through his unique way of thinking outside of the box.

With a huge number of fixtures coming up for Manchester United in the month of December, including matches against Paris Saint-Germain, Leipzig, Manchester City, Leeds United, Leicester City and Wolves, Solskjaer will have to ensure the midfield department is rotated effectively to avoid any problems with fatigue or issues with injuries. On that note, van de Beek is surely expected to receive enough game time and appearances, in order to prove himself to the manager and to his critics.

Following his impressive performances recently at home to Istanbul Basaksehir and now away at Southampton, the Old Trafford faithful will be hoping that the central midfield can build on from this and continue to establish a strong combination with his midfield team-mates in Bruno Fernandes and Fred. And if he is able to help the team on both sides of the pitch, it would not be a surprise to see Pogba leaving in the January window, who has been linked with both Juventus and Real Madrid.

Given that both Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have had major problems in breaking down the opposition’s low blocks in the past, they finally have a midfielder other than Bruno Fernandes available to them, in van de Beek, who is capable of overcoming pressure on and off the ball and is adaptable to making the necessary interception or tackle.

Overall, it is too early for the critics and for the English media to write off a player like Donny van de Beek, who has been slowly eased into the club and into the line-up as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had some difficulties in finding the right balance and consistency in midfield. Once the 23-year-old hits the ground running and is a regular starter for the side, the only way is up for all parties involved.

Man Utd 0-0 Chelsea: The Red Devils fail to overcome the Blues at Old Trafford

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Going into gameweek six, one of the crucial fixtures of the weekend was between Manchester United and Chelsea on Saturday evening, where both teams intended on collecting the vital victory to move closer to the top four positions. Given the shocking start to the campaign, not many Premier League fans were expecting Everton and Aston Villa to be in the top four spots, whilst the well-known clubs such as Man City, Man Utd and Spurs sit in the middle of the league table.

Looking at the match as a whole, both sides were unconvincing in the middle of the park and could not complete a string of passes, which led to very minimal chances being created and not many passes into the final third. Not only that, but with Frank Lampard’s 3-4-1-2 setup and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s unappealing line-up selection, it meant that there would not be many goals in the game.

In terms of the key statistics of the game, neither team had the key edge of dominating the possession of the ball, so it was equally shared out by both sides. Chelsea and Manchester United failed to create a single big chance through the game, which would be more down to how reserved and limited they wanted to play, ensuring that they did not concede to any chances or many goals.

To sum up the first half showing from the two clubs, the main positive was that the half-time break had arrived and hopefully one of the sides would step up on the intensity and urge to attack in the second half. However, that was not the case until the 58th minute for the host team and the 71st minute for the visitors, where a double change was required to help the team to create and score.

In the end, neither of the teams were able to make a breakthrough and were able succeed on coming out as the winners, leading to a point being shared out by Manchester United and Chelsea. The Blues walk away from Old Trafford with a positive point, on the other hand, the Red Devils would be in total discontent, as they are yet to win a single league game at home so far this season.

With no further ado, here are the three things we learnt from United’s latest league fixture…

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s line-up selection raised a few questions

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fielded the same eleven players that had defeated Newcastle last weekend against Chelsea, which raised a number of questions from the Old Trafford faithful as the line-up did not provide enough satisfaction in order to pick up the much needed three points. With the likes of Alex Telles, Donny van de Beek and Paul Pogba not being selected in the starting XI, majority of the Manchester United supporters had felt that the coach had setup with quite a pragmatic approach.

On the other hand, with a lot of key fixtures coming up, against Leipzig, Arsenal, Istanbul Basaksehir, Everton and West Brom over the next few weeks, it may seem like a sensible move from Solskjaer to rotate around and to ensure the squad do not suffer from fatigue or injury issues. With that in mind, the 47-year-old coach has to understand that he has to go into every game with the intention of wining and achieving consistent victories, with the objective being clear from the starting line-up.

Daniel James should no longer be starting on a regular basis 

With Anthony Martial still suspended for the league fixtures and Edinson Cavani being slowly integrated into the team, Daniel James continues to remain in the starting line-up, someone who is not able to offer much to the side besides his burst of pace and work rate off the ball. Other than that, he lacks the intelligence in the final third and the end product in terms of goals and assists.

Against Chelsea, the Welsh winger hardly made an impact out on the left wing, where he was completely isolated by both Cesar Azpilicueta and Reece James. Although he came into the club as a squad player, Solskjaer has used him as a regular starter following his bright and impressive start to the 2019/20 campaign, which led to him achieving three goals and six assists in 33 league appearances. Now, he should be seen as a bench player for the league games and nothing further.

Manchester United’s home form is becoming a huge concern

Despite United’s impressive victory in the midweek, away to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stage, they have had many difficulties with winning the games at Old Trafford in the Premier League. So far this season, the side have faced the likes of Crystal Palace, Spurs and now Chelsea, where they have picked up one point out of nine, scoring two goals and conceding nine.

The Red Devils are proving to be deadly and effective on the counter-attack, however, the team and the manager will need ways to break down the opposition and create constant chances, or they will fail to pick up victories on a regular basis at home. And if that happens to be the case, Manchester United’s chances of finishing in the top four by the end of the campaign, will be very limited.

Leicester City 0-2 Manchester United: Solskjaer and his men pull through on the final day to achieve Champions League football

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On the final day of the 2019/20 Premier League season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United had to avoid a defeat at all costs in order to receive Champions League football for next season, as they took on a Leicester City side that were missing a number of key players from the starting XI.

With the likes of Ben Chilwell, Caglar Soyuncu, James Maddison and Ricardo Pereira unavailable for the Foxes, Brendan Rodger’s men had a huge task ahead of themselves on Sunday afternoon, as they left themselves in a difficult position since the season restarted, winning just two games out of eight.

Looking into the game as a whole, the visitors had the edge when it came to dominating possession of the ball and making full use of it, achieving 55% possession, creating two big chances during the match and completing 95 passes in the attacking third. On the other hand, the hosts managed 68 successful passes in the final third, given that it took them till the hour mark to gain momentum.

In all honesty, there was hardly any action in the first half or much urgency from either side to go on to taking the lead, with both teams ensuring that there was no room for any mistakes. Following the half-time break, the game was taken up a notch by both Leicester City and Manchester United, as they had realised that Chelsea were beating Wolves and were not showing any signs of weaknesses.

From there onwards, Leicester were causing problems to the United defence but were not testing the goalkeeper at all. The visitors were able to make the breakthrough at 70th minute, as the host were caught out at playing from the back, which led to them giving a penalty away. Bruno Fernandes calmly stepped up to take it and sent Kasper Schmeichel the wrong way to give his team the lead.

The Foxes continued to pile on the pressure and go all out for a top four finish in the final 15 minutes of the game, however, the Red Devils’ managed to seal the victory late in added time, through substitute Jesse Lingard, who managed to caught Schmeichel off guard before kicking the ball into an empty net. In the end, United finished in third place on 66 points, just above Chelsea on goal difference, whilst Leicester City remain in fifth place and have to settle for Europa League football.

Here are the three things we learnt from United’s final league fixture of the campaign…

Champions League football is now officially confirmed for next season

After the side’s recent drop off in terms of results and performances, it did not look like the Red Devils had it in them to pull through on the final of the day season. With stalemates at Old Trafford to Southampton and West Ham as well as the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea, majority of the Manchester United supporters were expecting the team to typically crumble under pressure.

However, that was not the case today, as they were able to keep the likes of Jamie Vardy, Youri Tielemans and Ayoze Perez very quiet whilst having the capability to work on a few good phases themselves in midfield and attack. With Champions League football now confirmed for next season for Manchester United, the club will be able to make progressive moves financially and sportingly.

The only way is up for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his exciting long-term project

It’s been quite the first full season for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at United, who will be more than happy with a 3rd place finish as well as the opportunity to still compete in the Europa League competition next month. Given the ups and downs, the injury issues alongside the lack of squad depth, Solskjaer has done a good job in removing the deadwood and helping the football club to move into the right direction once again, something that Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho had actually failed to do.

Solskjaer has put the club and the players ahead of himself, and the immense work he has put in is now starting to pay off, as there is a cheerful and encouraging environment on and off the pitch, where the players are playing attractive and intelligent football whilst picking up the much needed results. The critics and the Ole haters have been totally silenced, as United’s unbeaten run since the end of January has allowed the team to do the unthinkable and push for a late top four finish.

Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial have played a crucial role since the restart

A lot of the focus has been on the likes of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood since the Premier League has restarted, though, Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes have been the deadly duo that has allowed the team to finish in the top four with their chances. Despite Chelsea and Leicester City’s lack of consistency, Bruno and Martial have been the two key individuals to be the constant threat for Solskjaer’s side, as their movement and creativity has been second to none.

Bruno’s ability to score from the penalty spot has to be appreciated, especially when you have to remember the fact that both Rashford and Pogba had missed a couple of penalties at the start of the season, which could have helped the side to confidently finish in third place. Not only that, Martial’s playmaking quality and clinical instincts are now starting to be well-recognised, particularly by those who thought he was not good enough to lead the line and become United’s main number nine.

Manchester United 1-1 West Ham: The Red Devils are a point away from Champions League football

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Following the recent defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals, Manchester United would have hoped to return back to winning ways and usual standards as they took an in-form West Ham side, who are three points above the relegation zone. However, that was not the case, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were unable to cause severe problems to a well organised David Moyes team.

Going into the game, the Red Devils were looking for nothing but the much needed three points, especially after Leicester City had lost to Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend whilst Chelsea face a difficult trip away to Liverpool. On the other hand, the Hammers main focus was to ensure they do not lose the fixture by a large number of goals, should they feel the force of United’s rapid attack.

Looking at the match as a whole, the hosts had just about dominated the possession of the game as many had expected, as they went on to achieve 57% possession of the ball and 192 passes in the attacking third compared to West Ham’s 85 successful passes in the final third area. Nonetheless, it was actually the away side that had shown to be more effective on and off the ball, in all honesty.

West Ham took the lead just before the half-time break, through Michail Antonio, who had very little to work with, but had the opportunity to give his team the lead from the penalty spot, which he calmly slotted down the middle of the goal. However, the visitor’s goal was cancelled out straightaway after the break, as Mason Greenwood worked a nice one-two phase with Anthony Martial near the penalty area, before lashing the ball low and into the corner of the net.

In the end, there was not many clear-cut chances for either side, to go on to taking the full three points and moving higher up the table. The 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening leaves Manchester United currently in 3rd place, whilst West Ham recent rise has taken them to 15th place.

Here are the three things we learnt from United’s latest league fixture…

Solskjaer’s lack of in-game management has to be questioned

Majority of the focus will be on Paul Pogba giving the penalty away, the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Nemanja Matic performing poorly, or the lack of attacking contribution coming from the full-backs. However, the questions has to be raised on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s lack of in-game management, as he more or less cost his team two crucial points in a must-win game.

As majority of the starting line-up had looked fatigued, Solskjaer had failed to bring on individuals such as Daniel James, Diogo Dalot and Fred, who potentially could have provided the energy and positivity the team was missing throughout the match. Not only that, he made just two out of five changes during the game, with a full-back coming on for another full back and a forward for a winger, evidently showing that Solskjaer did not actually go all out for the much needed victory.

United should look no further for a defensive-midfielder than Declan Rice

Since signing a contract extension with the club in recent weeks, Nemanja Matic’s performances have instantly dropped to a level where he is taking too many touches on the ball, and is committing constant fouls in dangerous areas, just outside of the penalty box. Given that he is 31-years-old and is currently on his last legs, he is one player that should not be dependent on to perform at a high level and on a regular basis, leaving Solskjaer in an issue where he needs a new defensive-midfielder.

On that basis, the manager and the club do not need to look any further for a potential defensive-midfield signing other than Declan Rice, who has played a pivotal role in helping West Ham stay above the relegation zone and is proving to become more of a complete midfielder since the Premier League season has restarted. From his consistent tackles and interceptions to his types and range of passing, he seems to be the perfect player to provide solidity and balance to the midfield.

The Red Devils have a huge final on the last day of the season

With how the fixtures have resulted on Wednesday evening, it leaves Manchester United in third place and just above fourth-place Chelsea on goal difference, whilst Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City remain in fifth position. And on the final day of the Premier League season, Chelsea face a tough match at home to Wolves whilst Solskjaer’s men have a difficult away trip to King Power Stadium.

On Sunday afternoon, it will be all or nothing for the likes of Chelsea, Leicester City and Manchester United, where all three teams will have to be at their very best, in order to play in the Champions League next season. The Red Devils and Solskjaer have worked a huge miracle to turnaround the race for a top four finish, as they were 14 points behind Leicester and 5 points behind Chelsea at the start of the year, but all that matters now, is the huge final fixture on the last day of the campaign.

Manchester United: Predicting the results of the final four games of the Premier League season

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As we enter the final four games of the Premier League season, Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s Manchester United will be hoping that the likes of Chelsea and Leicester City drop points whilst they take maximum points from their remaining fixtures in order to finish in one of the top four positions.

The Red Devils had a really poor period when looking at the side’s results from the first half of the campaign, given that they were sitting in eight-place and four points behind fourth-place Chelsea, whilst key man Paul Pogba was expected to be on the sidelines for majority of the season leaving everything to be done by the likes of Anthony Martial, Daniel James, Fred and Marcus Rashford.

Even then, United were still not good enough, as they had only won seven league games at the half-mark of the campaign, as well as scoring just 30 goals and conceding 23 goals in 19 games. However, they were in luck, as the teams above and below them were unable to remain consistent and dominant, to allow them to have a gap of a couple of points or more ahead of Manchester United.

On the other hand, the club’s fortune has fully turnaround following the arrival of Bruno Fernandes in the January transfer window, who has managed to be an instant impact and has helped Solskjaer’s men to go on to be unbeaten from his first appearance for United up until now. And because of his contributions, the side are a point away from fourth-place Leicester City, in the FA Cup Semi-finals and are in the Europa League, which can be used as a backup option for Champions League football.

Before looking into United’s remaining fixtures of the season, it’s time to have a quite look at Chelsea and Leicester City and who they have left, as the Blues are yet to face Norwich, Liverpool and Wolves. On the other hand, the Foxes, have the likes of Sheffield United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to play, teams that are still looking to finish high up the league table.

With no further ado, it’s time to predict the results of United’s final four league fixtures…

Southampton (H)

Arguably the toughest game of United’s remaining fixtures, Southampton will certainly be no pushovers when they come to Old Trafford on Monday night, as they have the fifth best away form in the league, achieving eight victories and collecting 27 points out of a potential 51. With how they are playing under Ralph Hasenhuttl and his pressing system, the side have been able to reap their rewards, from creating chances due to the opposition’s mistakes to conceding as less as possible.

If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are to successfully accomplish the full three points, they will have to be on top of their game and the opposition, who will not be afraid to play with a narrow high line and attempt to force United’s defence and midfield to lose the ball and push them into making errors. In the end, United’s home form has been more than consistent, and the quality of Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba will be too much for the Saints to handle.

Prediction: 2-1 victory to Manchester United.

Crystal Palace (A)

Although the match against struggling Crystal Palace should be straightforward, it will take place two days ahead of United’s FA Cup semi final fixture against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, which will leave Solskjaer in a mixture of thoughts on whether to rest the key players and rotate around or not. Roy Hodgson’s side have had a poor run of results since the Premier League season has restated, as they have only won one of their last six fixtures in the league, scoring four goals and conceding 13.

Nevertheless, even if the likes of Daniel James, Fred and Scott McTominay were to start ahead of United’s key players in the starting line-up, the team would still have enough individual quality and key moments within the side to overcome the Eagles. If the Red Devils are able to complete the victory over Crystal Palace, the team would look dead on to finish in the top four positions.

Prediction: 2-0 victory to Manchester United.

West Ham (H)

As David Moyes’ West Ham sit just above the relegation zone by three points, the side will certainly consider the final three games of the season as three monumental finals, given that it would be seen as a huge surprise if they were to get relegated with the amount of quality they have midfield and attack. And when looking at their away form, the Hammers have been growing quietly into picking up the much needed points, following their dominant win over Norwich and draw at Newcastle.

However, they will have to come up with something special in order to walk away from Old Trafford with something, as the Red Devils have the fourth best home record and second best defence in the league as things currently stand. With the work ethic and mentality being at an all-time high for Solskjaer and his men, we should expect a ruthless and complete performance and result from them.

Prediction: 3-0 victory to Manchester United.

Leicester City (A)

With Ricardo Pereira still on the sidelines, Caglar Soyuncu suspended for Leicester City’s final three games of the season as well as Ben Chilwell and James Maddison missing a few of the side’s crucial games in recent weeks, Brendan Rodgers’ men are in deep trouble of losing their spot in next year’s Champions League football after being in the top four positions for majority of the current season.

On the other hand, the results from the fixtures ahead of this game could complete the table on who will finish in the top four and who will not, as United’s remaining games look to be straightforward when comparing it to both Chelsea and Leicester City. In the end, both teams will be at each other and it could be seen as a match that will be end-to-end, depending on the potential circumstances.

Prediction: 2-2 draw between Leicester City and Manchester United.

Manchester United vs Southampton: Three key battles to look out for on Monday night football

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Ahead of gameweek 35, Manchester United sit in fifth-place and are constantly pushing to take either Chelsea or Leicester City’s spot in the top four and will be taking on Ralph Hansenhuttl’s Southampton, who have been top notch since the season has restarted, having picked up 10 points out a potential 15, including important victories against the likes of Man City, Norwich and Watford.

Both clubs will be going into the game with their energy and confidence levels being really high, and will be hoping it stays the same until the season ends, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men will only be satisfied with finishing the campaign in the top four position whilst the Saints will look to push for a spot in the top half of the Premier League table, as they are currently five points behind Tottenham.

It’s time to look at the three vital battles that could help to decide the fate of this huge fixture…

Mason Greenwood vs Ryan Bertrand

Over the last couple of weeks, the attention has been on the likes of Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes, and Paul Pogba, however, 18-year-old Mason Greenwood is the one that has stolen majority of the newspaper headlines with his playing style and knack for goals. In 1000 minutes of Premier League football this season, the forward who is currently playing on the right flank, has gone on to impressively achieve nine goals and one assist, with four league games still remaining.

Greenwood will be in for a close and tight encounter with Ryan Bertrand, who is Southampton’s main player at left-back and is known to be one of the side’s best defenders, as well as an attacking option that constantly runs up and down the left flank. With how the Saints are seen as a team that presses high up the pitch, Bertrand will have to make sure that he does not commit himself too much pass the half way line, otherwise, Greenwood will pounce with his pace and decision making.

Danny Ings vs Victor Lindelof

It’s no secret that Southampton’s most important and valuable player in the final third of the pitch is none other than Danny Ings at the moment, an individual that has helped Ralph Hansenhuttl’s men with 19 goals and three assists in 34 league appearances, allowing the team to be far away from the relegation zone and close to the middle of league table. Not only that, his intelligent movement on and off the ball, unique ability to bring his team-mates into the game has been second to none.

Danny Ings will aim to continue his fantastic form against United and will hope to reach a personal aim of 20 Premier League goals in a single season, which he has been unable to complete since playing in the top tier of English football from the 2014/15 campaign. The centre-forward will be up against Victor Lindelof, who has recently been proving to be inconsistent and a liability to the backline, as he does not have the physicality or the ideal pace to keep on top of many strikers.

Bruno Fernandes vs Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Now, focusing on the key battle in midfield, with United expected to dominate possession and look to bypass the Southampton high press, the focus and attention will be on Bruno Fernandes, who is on the form of his life and is aiming to continue working on his goals and assists. Since his arrival to Old Trafford, the playmaker has 13 goal involvements in 10 Premier league appearances, having the joint-most by a player in their first 10 games in the competition’s history alongside Mick Quinn.

Meanwhile for Southampton, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will be sitting as the deepest midfielder just ahead of the backline, as he will be expected to complete the much needed interceptions and tackles as well as help the team in the build-up play going forward. The 24-year-old has constantly proved himself to be an essential team member within Ralph Hansenhuttl’s system, even when he came under a vast amount of criticism from his own supporters and the English media, which has helped him to become the complete player he is today.

Manchester United 5-2 Bournemouth: The three key things we learnt as the Red Devils demolished the Cherries

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Ahead of gameweek 33, with only six games remaining in the Premier League, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United faced a straightforward fixture against Bournemouth at Old Trafford, where the visitors are struggling in the relegation zone and have one of the poorest away forms in the league.

Going into the game, majority of people were expecting the game to be one-sided in favour of the hosts, as they remain unbeaten in all competitions since the end of January and are looking to finish in the top four for the first time since the 2017/2018 season. On the other side, for Eddie Howe’s men, the main objective for the team is to avoid the relegation drop and be in the Premier League for another year, which could be decided on the final day of the campaign with how things are going.

As predicted, the hosts were in full control of the game from the first second of the game to the final whistle, as they went on to achieve 69% possession of the ball and 172 passes in the attacking third compared to Bournemouth’s 57 successful passes in the final third. Though, the visitors were able to play some good football in patches and periods, compared to other teams that have faced a difficult trip to Old Trafford, which allowed them to score two goals through Junior Stanislas and Joshua King.

In the end, the sheer brilliance and pure class that Manchester United had in midfield and in attack was too much for the Cherries to handle, as the game finished off at 5-2 in favour of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team. The Red Devils remain in fifth place, as Chelsea and Leicester City were able to win their respective games, whilst Bournemouth are in 19th position and a single point away from safety.

Here are the three things we learnt from United’s latest league game…

The individual mistakes at the back have to be ironed out

For sure, the focus will be on the amount of goals that the side had scored and how they responded after going down by a goal in the 15th minute of the game, but the individual mistakes that were made by the likes of David De Gea, Eric Bailly and Harry Maguire have to be seriously considered. The side have conceded a number of cheap goals from the 33 goals they have conceded so far this season, which could play a pivotal role on if they finish in the top four at the end of July or not.

From Maguire leaving his legs wide open to be nutmegged before De Gea was beaten at his front post once again, to Bailly giving away a penalty with an unnecessary handball just inside of the penalty box, quite a few concerning errors were made against a struggling Premier League side. Fortunately, no further mistakes were made to allow the visitors to push for a magical comeback.

Given the amount of money the club have spent in recent years as well as how they are currently interested in players such as Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish, Solskjaer will be looking to go all out on attempting to challenge for the league title next season, and in order for this to be achieved, the monumental mistakes that are made by the goalkeeper and the defence have to be ironed out.

Rashford, Martial and Greenwood cannot stop scoring at the moment

Towards the start of the campaign, United were badly struggling for goals and were relying on the penalties they were receiving, with both Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba on the sidelines whilst all the pressure and expectations were solely on Marcus Rashford’s shoulders. Six to nine months later, along with the arrival of Bruno Fernandes, the strikers simply cannot stop scoring at the moment.

Martial, Rashford and Mason Greenwood have been scoring goals left, right and centre since the season had restarted a couple of goals, as United have scored 12 goals in their last four Premier League games. And when looking at the statistics of the strikers up until now, Greenwood has 15 goals in all competition, Martial and Rashford have 20 each in all competition, which clearly shows that the club and the manager will never be dried up of goals for the next couple of years or so.

Manchester United’s dominance remains high against the struggling sides

Under the likes of David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, Manchester United had this rising issue of the fact that they would find it difficult to confidently beat the mid-table teams or the struggling sides in the relegation zone and put at least a couple of goals past them. Now, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge, the side are able to continuously play a strong starting line-up, who have the bond and chemistry with one another to be at their best and be in full control of the opposition.

As long as the team are able to continue in this same, professional and dominant manner from now till the end of the season, then both Solskjaer and Manchester United should have no problems at all in picking up maximum points and finishing in the top four. Not only that, with how the rule of five substitutions is being used, it allows the Red Devils to have the ideal individuals to bring on from the bench, whether they need to defend a lead or bring on an a player to quickly turn the game around.

Brighton 0-3 Manchester United: The three key things we learnt as the Red Devils sink the Seagulls

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Ahead of gameweek 32, with only seven games remaining in the Premier League, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United faced a difficult trip away to the Amex Stadium to take on Brighton, where the visitors have not been able to take a point away from the hosts for the past two seasons.

Going into the game, Graham Potter’s Brighton were intending on continuing their unbeaten run since the campaign had resumed, as they currently sit in 15th place and just six points above the relegation zone. On the other hand, for United, who aiming for a top four finish, they have to make an attempt in turning around their results away from home to increase their chances of finishing above Leicester City and Chelsea, who have been resting in third and fourth place for a long time.

The visitors, as expected, were in full control of the game from the first second of the game to the final whistle, as they went on to achieve 63% possession of the ball and 132 passes in the attacking third compared to Brighton’s 49 successful passes in the final third. However, the hosts were able to hit some stride into the match once it was game over, and when both Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba were taken off the pitch, but they were lacking the cutting edge of quality to score a goal.

At the end of the day, the Red Devil’s quality in each department was just too much for Brighton to handle, at the fixture was simply game, set and match ten minutes before the hour mark. United remain in fifth position, and will be hoping that the sides above them drop points over the coming days, whilst Brighton will be aiming to pick up three to five points over the next few fixtures to ensure they are safe from the relegation zone and are in the Premier League next season.

Here are the three things we learnt from United’s latest league game…

Bruno Fernandes continues to prove that he is the real deal

Notching five goals and three assists in eight Premier League appearances, Bruno Fernandes continues to prove to the English media and the rival supporters that he is the real deal, the same people who had thought that his style of play would be found out sooner rather than later. As his partnership alongside Paul Pogba carries on to develop and improve day by day, the duo have helped the team to seriously dominate possession and create constant chances for the attackers.

Since the arrival of the Portuguese international at the end of January, the side have incredibly gone on to be unbeaten in 15 games in all competition, where his contributions in the attacking phase has been top notch, along with his work rate and inspirational mentality. Bruno went on to scoring two crucial goals in each half of the game against Brighton, where both goals were cleverly taken, with the first one being just outside of the penalty box and the second one being a first-time volley.

Mason Greenwood is on the rise, as he takes Daniel James’ spot

At the age of 18, Mason Greenwood has just under 900 minutes of Premier League game time so far this season, and he already has six goals and one assist to his name. Being regarded as a youngster that is rapidly on the rise, he is starting to be seen as a player that has more potential than both Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, and the best part about it is the fact that he is not fazed or worried about these remarks as he is more than happy to reach the expectations that have been set.

Currently playing as a right-sided winger, Greenwood has been bonding well with the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba, especially in a position that he is not familiar of. On top of that, his pressing high up the pitch, ability to linkup with his teammates, dribbling style with both feet deserves to be praised highly, as he is offering a huge amount of threat in many ways for Solskjaer and United, compared to Daniel James, who looks to be very inconsistent and predictable.

The Red Devils are finally starting to turn their away form around

If Ole Gunnar Solskajer and Manchester United are seriously looking to push for a top four finish, then they will have to turn their away form around instantly and before it is too late. As things currently stand, the side have the seventh best record away from home, with even the likes of Leicester, Southampton and Wolves achieving more points than United when on the road.

When looking at United’s remaining fixtures away from home, they still have to go away to teams such as Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Leicester City, which will certainly not be straightforward as many would think. As long as Solskjaer is able to keep Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba at the top of their game and of the opposition too, with the attackers taking their chances when it matters the most, the team should find zero issues in picking up maximum points from the remainder of the games, let alone the three away fixtures they have from now till the end of the footballing season.