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Man Utd: The Red Devils prove to be clinical and ruthless against old rivals Leeds United

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With the likes of Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur dropping points in their respective games in gameweek 14, it allows Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United to make full use out of this advantage should they beat rivals Leeds United. Marcelo Bielsa’s men have proven to be an exciting and thrilling team so far this season, as his side play with pure energy and incredible intensity.

Looking at the match as a whole, the visitors had unsurprisingly dominated 60% possession of the ball but had only went onto to create three big chances and complete three shots on target. On the other hand, the Red Devils proceeded forward with 26 shots, 14 shots on target and seven big chances being created, something that hasn’t happened at Old Trafford for a really long time.

Manchester United started the match off in quick fashion, catching the Leeds United midfield high up the pitch and scoring twice through Scott McTominay in the first few minutes of the games. The hosts continued to pile on the misery, with a well-taken goal from Bruno Fernandes in the penalty box and a headed attempt from Victor Lindelof in the 37th minute of the match. Even after being down by four goals, Leeds continued to attack and attack in their usual manner, which rewarded them with a late consolation goal by Liam Cooper just before the half-time break.

The second half consisted of the same intensity and creativity that was seen by both sides in the first half, however, a number of chances were missed by the two teams. Nevertheless, Daniel James scored the side’s fifth goal of the evening in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, before Bruno Fernandes added another goal from the penalty spot at the 70th minute mark. The Whites were able to get a goal back through Stuart Dallas, but a comeback was impossible for Bielsa’s men.

Overall, with Manchester United thrashing Leeds United, it allows the team to move into third place and with a game in hand. Meanwhile, for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, they continue to remain in 14th place, seven points above the relegation zone and with a goal difference of minus six.

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

Manchester United’s home form has finally been turned around

The Red Devils have had issues time and time again at Old Trafford this season, where they have conceded cheap goals, failed to control the match for majority of the game and had problems with not taking their chances. However, it looks like the side are starting to turn a new page with their home, as they managed to raise the bar of their energy, intensity and urgency on and off the ball.

Following the side’s huge victory over Leeds United, the team’s results at home in the league so far this season are as followed; two wins, two draws and three losses. In order for Solskjaer and his men to put forward a potential race for the league title, they will have to keep the consistency up in the energy levels, the performances and most importantly, the results at home, as they did so today.

Scott McTominay came to Old Trafford with his shooting boots on

With Kalvin Phillips expected to mark Bruno Fernandes very closely in the early moments of the game, the instructions looked quite clear from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, for both Fred and Scott McTominay to be high up the pitch to help the team attack effectively. On that note, the Scottish international made some good late runs into the penalty box, which was rewarded in full, as he went on to become the first player in Premier League history to score two goals in first three minutes.

When growing up as a teenager, McTominay used to play as a striker before he became a central midfielder, which should not been seen as a surprise as he took both of his goals with excellent composure. Along with his goals, he provided the much needed presence on both sides of the pitch, especially with the team proving to have a leaky defence and not enough numbers in the final third.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got it spot on with his setup and line-up selection

A lot of questions were raised by the Manchester United supporters on social media ahead of the match, in relation to Daniel James starting, Donny van de Beek and Paul Pogba on the bench as well as what formation would be used against Leeds United. However, any doubts or overthinking of the manager’s setup and line-up selection were forgotten by the half-time break, as the Red Devils had a 4-1 lead over the Whites, leaving the visitors with absolutely no chance of making a comeback.

Along with having the setup and the line-up selection spot on, it does seem like Solskjaer’s pre-match talk with the team made a huge difference, as many individuals barring the English players in the first XI would not know about the rivalry between Manchester United and Leeds United. If the manager and the players can build on from this performance and result, it can allow the side to confidently finish in the top four positions, or even go on to putting on a potential title challenge.

Man Utd: Three key battles to look out for as the Red Devils take on old time rivals Leeds United

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Going into gameweek 14, one of the key fixtures to look out for is Manchester United against Leeds United on Sunday evening, two teams who have constantly been at each other’s throats since 1926.

The match is expected to be filled with a number of goals, especially with Leeds playing a high line, which will be exposed by the creativity and burst of pace of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford. On the other hand, Marcelo Bielsa’s style of play is proving to be dominant and ruthless, as his team will aim to run rings around Manchester United’s midfield and get in behind their full-backs.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping to turn the side’s home form around, as the Red Devils have only won one league game so far this season at Old Trafford, picking up five points out of a potential 15. And looking at the Whites’ results away from home, it is fairly balance, as they have won three games and lost three games, scoring on ten occasions whilst conceding 11 times in six games.

With no further ado, here are the three key battles to look out for ahead of the match…

Marcus Rashford vs Luke Ayling

With five goals and four assists to his name in 12 league appearances, Marcus Rashford will be aiming to improve on his consistency and efficiency in the final third as the neutrals and the Old Trafford faithful are expecting him to reach 20 league goals by the end of the season. Despite some poor and unconvincing moments, he has had in front of goal, the 23-year-old is starting to get back to his best, where he glides past players with pure ease and does not overthink his shots in the box.

Rashford will be in for an exciting and tight battle with Luke Ayling, who is Leeds’ main option in the right-back position and is a player that is not afraid to run up and down the flank, as he has completed the second most dribbles and fourth most key passes, when compared to his team-mates. Depending on how much possession Leeds go onto to dominate at Old Trafford on Sunday evening, Ayling has to keep close tabs on Rashford, as he can make an impact in a matter of seconds.

Jack Harrison vs Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Leeds have been able to attack and conquer through the likes of Helder Costa, Mateusz Klich, Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo, but it’s the key individual in Jack Harrison that has the team ticking from midfield to attack and he is someone that really gets the best out of the players inside the penalty box. The 24-year-old has an interesting background ahead of the game, as he has previously spent time in the youth academy at both Liverpool and Manchester United, seven years in the latter’s academy system, and is currently a Leeds United player on loan from parent club Manchester City.

Harrison will have to be closely marked and watched by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has had great difficulties in kicking off to a good start this campaign and has had ongoing problems on both sides of the pitch. The former Crystal Palace defender has made a name for himself with the types of interceptions and tackles he has produced over the last 18-24 months, though, he has not been able to get replicate it this campaign, as he is mistiming his defensive output and is seen as a weak link.

Bruno Fernandes vs Kalvin Phillips

Although Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has constantly changed the selection around in midfield, there will be no doubts over Bruno Fernandes starting for one single moment, who will be the leading the team through his creativity and decision-making. The Portuguese international continues to show his influence and importance in the middle of the pitch, as he is able to get the best out of key attackers in Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashfords whilst he proceeds to rack up the goals and assists himself.

Meanwhile for Leeds United, Kalvin Phillips is expected to continue to play in the lone defensive-midfield role, where he will be sitting in front of the defence, providing the much needed balance and stability to the midfield. The 25-year-old will be looking to nullify the threat of Bruno Fernandes, along with helping his own team in the build-up to their attack, something he is already well-known for.

Man Utd: Three things we learnt from the Red Devils win over struggling Sheffield United

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With both Chelsea and Manchester City dropping points in their respective games early in the week, it was crucial for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men to take the advantage of the moment by beating struggling Sheffield United, who have only picked up one point so far this season and are embarrassingly yet to win a league game.

Looking at the match as a whole, the visitors had dominated possession and created more chances and had more shots than the hosts, who caused a number of problems to Manchester United in the first half but were unable to make the moments count in the final third of the pitch. Though, they made the key moment count in the 5th minute of the match, where Dean Henderson thought he had enough time on the ball and was aggressively pressed by Oliver Burke, leading to David McGoldrick slotting the ball into an empty goal.

However, once again, Manchester United kicked on from being a goal behind and managed to take the lead by the half-time break, with both Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford scoring the much needed goals leaving the Sheffield United manager and players in absolute shock. The Red Devils sealed the three points in the second half of the game with Rashford scoring his second goal of the night early in the second half.

Despite McGoldrick scoring a late consolation in the 87th minute of the game, the Blades did not show enough creativity, intensity and urgency to push on for a huge equaliser in the final seconds of the match. Overall, with Manchester United wining 3-2 over Sheffield United, it allows the team to move into sixth-place with a game in hand, whilst Chris Wilder’s men remain in 20th place, picking up only one point out of a potential 39.

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

Victor Lindelof is proving to be the best centre-back at the club  

He’s had his ups and downs since moving to Old Trafford in 2017, however, Victor Lindelof is finally proving to be the best centre-back at the club, especially over the last couple of months. For sure, he may not be recognised as one of the best defenders in the Premier League let alone in Europe, but he is doing more than enough to help the side on both sides of the pitch, through his intelligent defending and ability on the ball.

The Swedish international played an inch-perfect ball over the top of Sheffield United’s defence, into the feet of Marcus Rashford, who smashed the ball into the net to give his team the much needed equaliser. Unfortunately, the only issue that remains for Lindelof alongside his lack of aerial ability, is that he is not complimented well by captain Harry Maguire, who is not expected to be dropped by Solskjaer anytime soon.

Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford return onto the scoresheet

It’s been a slow season so far for the attacking duo in Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, who are typically expected to hit 15-20 Premier League goals a season, given the experience they have in the league and how much they are individually capable of. Though, with both players scoring the goals for Manchester United on Thursday evening, they will be hoping to get going with their campaign and aim to help the team with their qualities on and off the ball, as it will be the difference of the team finishing in the top four this season or not.

Not only that, but with Edinson Cavani making a huge impact whenever he is playing and Mason Greenwood being constantly hungry for game time, both Martial and Rashford have to ensure they perform consistently and at a high level in order to keep their place in the starting line-up. Looking more into the performance of the pair, the former showed really good movement off the ball and was tracking back time and time again whilst the latter’s burst of pace and dribbling ability was top notch, leaving Solskjaer totally satisfied.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a few important issues he has to iron out

Majority of the Old Trafford faithful will be content with the successful comeback that the team completed at Bramall Lane. On the other hand, the ongoing weaknesses within the manager, the team and the system are still quite clear. The Red Devils constant and key problems at this moment of time, happens to be the side’s lack of control against the teams weaker than them, and the amount of cheap goals that are being conceded.

Furthermore, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to solve another issue of balancing the team whilst having Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in the starting line-up, a problem he had at the end of last season and also at the start of the current campaign. Given that the team’s performances and results are inconsistent, the coach has to iron out a few important matters, especially if he wants to continue to manage Manchester United football club.

West Ham 1-3 Man Utd: The Red Devils come from behind again to win the crucial points

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After being recently defeated in their Champions League fixture at home to Paris Saint-Germain, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United are back into winning ways as they picked up an important victory away from the home. The Red Devils travelled down South to face West Ham, a team that the side haven’t performed greatly against the last few years, especially at the London Stadium.

Looking at the match as a whole, the visitors had dominated the possession of the ball and for majority of the second half, but it was the hosts that had created the most big chances and also missed the most big chances too. Most importantly, it was David Moyes’ men that took the well-deserved lead in the 38th minute of the game through Tomas Soucek, as Pablo Fornals’ cross from the corner was met by the head of Declan Rice, followed by Soucek tapping it into an empty net.

However, Manchester United were able to turn the game around after the half-time break, with both Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford entering the match for Edinson Cavani and Donny van de Beek. As the goals came from Paul Pogba, Mason Greenwood and Rashford in the final 25 minutes of the game, the Red Devils showed how clinical and ruthless they can be when required.

Overall, when viewing the Premier League table, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are currently in fifth place, three points behind first-place Chelsea and with a game in hand. On the other hand, for the Hammers, they have now drop to seventh place and could drop further in the league, as the likes of Southampton and Wolves are yet to play this weekend and Aston Villa now have two games in hand.

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

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s half-time changes proved to be influential

Manchester United were all over the place in the first half, as they failed to show consistency and composure on and off the ball, allowing West Ham to create enough chances and have no problems on the defensive side of the game. Though, the whole situation turned around with Solskjaer making two important substitutions at the half-time break, as the side began to benefit with the creativity and decision making of Bruno Fernandes as well as the directness and pace of Marcus Rashford.

Once both players had entered the pitch, West Ham were spending most of the second half defending in their own half and trying to keep up with the opposition’s midfield and attack. Given the amount of quality and depth that Solskjaer has available at his disposal, he is able to rotate around in the key areas, rather than draining out the important players like he has done this year.

Manchester United are unable to create and attack without Bruno Fernandes

In the first half of the match, United were absolutely limited to zero chances being created, three shots and with two of them being on target in 45 minutes of football. Not only that, but the side were having great difficulties in reaching into the final third of the pitch, despite the constant high pressure and the aggressive defending from West Ham. It was the first time that Bruno Fernandes had been rested since joining the club, and the side were very slow, lethargic and poor without him.

However, the Portuguese international came to the rescue just after the half-time break, as he went on to produce eight key passes as two big chances were created by the playmaker. With the influence he is proving to have on the team and how is he able to get the best out of his team-mates, it can easily be stated that he is the side’s best signings post the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Greenwood’s time has come, as both Cavani and Martial are faced with a setback

As Edinson Cavani went off at half-time with a knee injury and so did Anthony Martial just after the hour mark with a groin injury, it leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a rising problem given that the upcoming fixtures are against Leipzig, Manchester City and Sheffield United. However, the manager could have a short-term solution in Mason Greenwood, whose instincts and movement is very unique for a youngster whilst he continues to prove himself as the most clinic attacker at the club.

For sure, the 19-year-old hasn’t had the perfect start to the season, with personal issues he has had off the pitch and the English media being on his case since a mistake he made during the international break back in September. But, it looks like he has now put everything that’s happened the last few months behind him, as Greenwood has opened his account in the Champions League and now in the Premier League. Mason Greenwood can do anything he wants to, the world is his oyster.

Edinson Cavani: From pure brilliance with Manchester United to FA enquiry in 3 hours

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The irony cannot be lost on anyone at Manchester United that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has, up until now, refused to start new signing Edinson Cavani in any of Manchester United’s league games so far.

Solskjaer himself known as the baby assassin for his uncanny brilliance to be in the right place at the right time equalled by his boyish looks which at 47 he still retains, is there to make the decisions. But Solskjaer was also known as the super sub. There were countless times Sir Alex Ferguson called on him from the bench to save the day, the most famous of course in the 1999 Champions League final when the Norwegian came on with 9 minutes remaining and scored the winning goal.

This season Solskjaer, gone from super sub to manager at Manchester United is channelling the great Ferguson. Cavani at 33 has been involved in 5 of United’s nine games so far and has been involved in four goals already, scoring three times and assisting in another. While Cavani scored his debut goal against Everton at Goodison Park for the Red Devils at the beginning of November the Uruguayan ‘arrived’ in the Premier League for good and bad this weekend. First let’s concentrate on the good.

Cavani replaced Mason Greenwood on the 46th minute. It wasn’t that Greenwood was having a terrible game, but Solskjaer made the decision at 2-0 down to replace inexperience, (Greenwood being 19) with Cavani. Though Greenwood may have been livid with the timing, he would have to accept that Solskjaer made the right choice at the final whistle. And Cavani’s impact was almost immediate.

It took Cavani 13 minutes to get into the game and set up Bruno Fernandes for his seventh goal of the season. The Portuguese wonder is far and away United’s best player this season in the fantasy rankings and has earned 34 points overall, 19 more than second placed Marcus Rashford. Cavani on the wing on the right hand side and with all the time in the world passed the ball into the centre right to Fernandes feet and the midfielder had no chance.

But it was the way in how Cavani took the ball. He didn’t seem urgent with his club 2-0 down, he was just professional. Solskjaer’s faith was being paid off. If Solskajer produced a wry smile at that he may want to have adopted the Uruguayan when his header equalised the game with a quarter of an hour to go.

A cross came in and Fred struck the ball, which deflected from a Southampton player and it was the pure super quick reaction of Cavani, the menacing of all strikers, throwing back the years, unravelling the swashbuckling comebacks which are in fact deeply ingrained in the side that he is playing for. Southampton looked mentally finished, in a game they were cruising, 1,800 seconds from victory and now it was being snatched away from them. It may have been 2-2 with fifteen minutes to go but one could sense that United were going to go on to win it.

And yet the time ticked by with chances for both clubs, United could smell blood and most importantly three points, Southampton once in a state of victors were simply happy to get a point at this stage. But it would be a stage set up for Cavani. At the death Rashford swung a ball in and Cavani channelling another player of yesteryear in Jurgen Klinsmann sliced the ball in with his head with all the professional pomp you would expect of a player who has worked so tirelessly playing for some of the biggest teams in Europe over the years. It was 3-2, he slid on his knees and the game was over. Manchester United have won their third game in a row and moved up to 9th place.

With two goals and an assist it had been a perfect day for Cavani, even some fans who may have doubted him signing for United in what is supposed to be his twilight years could hardly deny the sheer quality that he brought to the team in this match. He won United a duel destined for defeat and Cavani could feel happy about himself. That was until a Twitter post and a few hours later.

A follower on twitter who is now believed to know Cavani congratulated the striker on his performance. Cavani replied with “gracias negrito”! And that is when the FA launched their enquiry. The translation is tricky because we are talking about different meanings for different cultures but it roughly would translate to thanks black. One can only presume the original post came from a black person.

To their credit the FA have a zero tolerance attitude to racism unlike some countries and crack down heavy on it. At the same time no one can suggest that Cavani is a racist, far from it in fact. This doesn’t feel like racial slurring but more about not being educated in English culture as to phrases which simply cannot be accepted in England anymore. For that it is hard to accuse Cavani, who has only been in the country for a few months, he is adapting and the last thing on his mind would have been this. For foreign footballers making the switch to England it is football, football and language probably in that order.

However it is good that the FA have made an enquiry and Cavani has apologised. He may well not fully understand why, but he has made the right decision. Now it is time for the FA to act accordingly. Normally something of this nature can invoke a two to three game ban. However maybe the FA need to think outside the box for this case.

Wouldn’t it be better if they set up an education type of program for foreign players coming to play in the Premier League? Again this isn’t about accusing anyone of racism and hate but more about educating players in the different culture in which they are now playing. It would be refreshing to see the FA act on this and make it count, rather than to see Cavani handed a 3 game ban, hamper his own team and have no lessons learned for the future.

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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: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men complete a vintage comeback away at Southampton

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Ahead of gameweek ten, one of the key fixtures of the weekend was between Ralph Hassenhuttl’s Southampton and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United, with the former being on top notch form so far this season whilst the latter have been inconsistent on both sides of the pitch.

Going into the game, both teams were missing some key players as the Saints were without the goal-scoring machine in Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond, meanwhile, the Red Devils were missing the presence of Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba. Putting the list of injuries to aside, the two sides were still able to play to the best of their ability and managed to create a number of chances.

Looking at the fixture as a whole, the Red Devils edged it out in possession and completed just under 100 passes in the final third of the pitch, proving to be quick and effective on the ball and especially on the counter-attack. Though, for Southampton, they were unable to produce a single big chance throughout the whole game and were only able to achieve 41 passes in the attacking third.

Overall, the three points for the visitors, allow Manchester United to move into the top half of the league table and into eight place. On the other hand, Southampton remain in fifth place, but could drop down a spot, should either Aston Villa or West Ham win their fixture on Monday night.

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

Manchester United’s issues in defending set-pieces continue

Manchester United have conceded 16 goals in nine league games so far this season, with a large number of the goals being conceded very easily and softly by the side’s backline. Both of Southampton’s goals today could have been avoidable, especially the first one, where Harry Maguire and Nemanja Matic were marking the area/zone whilst Marcus Rashford was left to mark Jan Bednarek, who had rose above the attacker and headed the ball back into the net.

And with Southampton’s second goal of the afternoon, it was an unnecessary foul from Fred that led to a free-kick in a dangerous area, just outside of the penalty box. James Ward-Prowse went on to take the free-kick and place it into the corner of the net, as he always does, leaving David De Gea with no chance of preventing the goal. As United’s goal difference currently stands on zero, they will have to improve on it instantly, in order to increase their chances of finishing in the top four.

Edinson Cavani comes on from the bench with the perfect influence

The Red Devils felt hopeless and majority of the players’ heads had dropped totally by the half-time break, as they typically failed to take their chances whilst Southampton proved to be ruthless through the set-piece routine. However, on came Edinson Cavani just after the half-time break, who completely changed the game around with his defensive work rate, movement on and off the ball as well as his immaculate ability to linkup with teammates from time to time.

The Uruguayan international achieved two goals and one assist from the bench, which is more than incredible for a player that was written off early in the start of the season and was regarded as another Alexis Sancez or Radamel Falcao, who had previously flopped during their time at Old Trafford. With his valuable experience and hunger for goals and success, the 33-year-old will certainly be playing a crucial for the team in the Premier League and in the Champions League.

 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have found the right balance in the midfield area

It’s been just under two months since the embarrassing 6-1 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur, and it seems like both Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been able to turn a new page and resume normal service in the Premier League. Since then, the team have proceeded to defend aggressively, score more frequently and continue to grind out the victories.

For sure, the goals are still being conceded and the goal difference should be much better, but there is a huge feeling that the Red Devils are about to go on a good run and that is mainly down to the balance that has been found in the middle of the pitch. With the diamond formation which consists of Nemanja Matic as the holding midfielder, Donny Van de Beek and Fred as the number eights and Bruno Fernandes in the number ten role, both the club and manager have now found their mojo.

Man Utd: Three key battles to look out for ahead of the West Brom fixture

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As the international break finally comes to an end, normal services in domestic football, with Manchester United taking on West Brom in the Saturday evening fixture at Old Trafford.

Given that the side are yet to win a league game so far this season at Old Trafford, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men will have to be at their very best, on and off the ball, in order to turn their unexplainable form at home around. On the other hand, the Baggies will be aiming to make improvement on both sides of the pitch, as they have not claimed a single victory this term.

On paper, the host have too much quality in midfield and attack for the visitors to handle, though, with the number of surprises that have risen in recent months, anything is possible within Premier League football. If Slaven Bilic’s West Brom are able to keep United’s attack limited and prove to be ruthless on the counter, then there is a chance of them walking away with at least a point.

With no further ado, here are the three key battles to look out for at Old Trafford this evening…

Marcus Rashford vs Darnell Furlong

With two goals and three assists to his name in seven league appearances, Marcus Rashford will be aiming to improve on his consistency and efficiency in the final third as the pundits and the Manchester United supporters are expecting him to reach 20 league goals by the end of the campaign. When looking at his burst of pace, movement with and without the ball as well as his confidence in front of goal, the target of scoring 20 league goals is definitely achievable for Rashford.

Rashford will be in for a close and tight encounter with Darnell Furlong, who is West Brom’s regular option at right-back and is more than capable of being a crucial player on both sides of the pitch. When comparing Furlong to the other full-backs in the league, only Andrew Roberton and Tariq Lamptey have had more touches than the right-back in the opposition’s box. However, his key duty is to nullify the threat that Rashford provides before he can proceed to being a threat himself.

Callum Robinson vs Harry Maguire

Scoring only 6 goals in eight league fixtures, West Brom do not possess many talented attacking players, but they will be highly depending on Callum Robinson, who will be looking to get in between the lines of the central defence. As his two league goals so far, this season have come at home to Chelsea, the 25-year-old Irish international certainly has the confidence to score against big teams.

Although the Red Devils are expected to dominate majority of the possession at Old Trafford, if the Baggies are still able to create a few chances on the counter or through the set-piece method into the feet of Callum Robinson, then it is more than possible for the attacker to walk away with a goal or two. He will be up against captain Harry Maguire, who will be looking to get back to his best and to his normal self, especially after the personal experience he has had on and off the football pitch.

Bruno Fernandes vs Jake Livermore

Given the huge number of midfield options that Solskjaer has available, as well as Donny Van de Beek and Paul Pogba being a choice from the bench, it will be Bruno Fernandes who will be leading the midfield and will be connecting the dots from midfield to attack. Considered as Manchester United’s best and important player in the starting line-up, the side’s attack and creativity runs through the Portuguese international, who will be looking to continue to provide the goods.

Meanwhile for West Brom, Jake Livermore is expected to play the lone defensive-midfield role, where he will be sitting in front of the defence, providing the balance and stability to the midfield. The 31-year-old will be hoping to keep Fernandes as quiet as possible, and will be aiming to help the team through his leadership, range of passing and most importantly, his Premier League experience.

Man Utd: Three things Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must do to steer the ship into the right direction

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With how the season is so far panning out for Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the questions are starting to be raised on which direction and which way is the football club heading. Although it’s only been two months into the 2020-21 campaign, the Red Devils have shown huge inconsistencies and weaknesses in the Premier League and the Champions League, proving that it is going to be another long season where there is no certainty of trophies and actual dominance.

For sure, the season so far in English football has been involved with many ups and downs, including the early rise of Aston Villa and Southampton as well as the unexpected downfall of both Manchester City and Manchester United. Most importantly, the key stage of the campaign will be from the first fixture after the international break up until the final match of the year, where a large number of games will be played in a short period, causing players to suffer from fatigue or injuries.

Focusing further on Solskjaer, who has a lot of critics and doubts on his name in recent months, he would have wanted these two weeks of international break more than anyone else, in order to review and amend his tactics, style of play and the way he wants to utilise the squad to full effect.

With no further ado, here are three things Ole Gunnar Solskjaer HAS to do…

Have an actual plan against the weaker teams

The Red Devils have always been known for playing with an attacking mindset and by constantly  being dominant down the flanks. However, given the side’s vulnerabilities in defence, they are unable to play in the same manner the Old Trafford faithful has been used to. Under Solskjaer, the side are playing more on the counter-attack method or through individual brilliance, which is something that has proven to be unsustainable as the side fail to stroll pass the lower teams.

Although the coach has shown his personnel tactics are effective and impressive in the big fixtures in recent years, he has to remember and understand, that there are ten key matches he is prepared for throughout the campaign, whilst there are another 28 league games he does not have an actual plan or system for. And the key factor here is, without the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford in the starting line-up, the team are unable to click together and no one is willing to lead efficiently.

The midfield selection has to be consistent and correct

Since taking over as the permanent manager of Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has failed to identify and recognise what his best midfield selection is. When looking at the main teams in Liverpool and Manchester City, there is a huge understanding of what their best midfield is, as Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have respectively been able to make this clear in a matter of months. Until Solskjaer completes this, the side will continue to face difficulties on both sides of the pitch, given that the lack of balance and consistency is importantly being missed out in midfield.

With the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Donny Van de Beek, Fred, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay available, there cannot be no excuses that there is a lack of depth or quality within the midfield department. Looking at the current options in midfield, the ideal midfield trio would happen to be Bruno Fernandes, Van de Beek and Matic, which should provide the perfect mixture of creativity, experience, movement, energy and intelligence when defending and attacking.

To keep the love and support for Mason Greenwood at a high level

For sure, he is currently within the headlines of the English media outlet and not for the right reasons, but Mason Greenwood will surpass this difficult phase soon or later, and he will be back to doing what he is does best, which is running aggressively at defenders and scoring all different types of goals. Before this happens again, Solskjaer has a huge job on his hands, in order to continue to guide and support the youngster, who is going through a rough period at the age of 19-years-old.

Focusing more onto what he is capable of on the pitch, Greenwood is regarded as the most clinical forward within the squad, a statement that should not be taken lightly as the team has the likes of Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford. With his ability to play with the ball at both feet, his sharp movement in the final third of the pitch and his influential instincts at striking the ball towards goal, he simply has it all to become a world class player if he can keep his head down.

Man Utd: The ongoing and unfortunate situation of youngster Mason Greenwood

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Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood is going through a difficult phase in his career at the age of 19-years-old, where his name is all over the English media for the wrong reasons. From breaching the Coronavirus rules by meeting women in the hotel bedroom during the international break to apparently having attitude problems and arriving late to training, it has all been mentioned.

A few months ago, the youngster was regarded as a generational talent and someone that could be a crucial and influential player for club and country. With his movement on and off the ball, and the ability to play so comfortably with both feet and his incredible finishing in the final third, the rising star from Bradford simply has it all to go on to becoming the real deal for the next five to ten years.

However, the situation has now unfortunately changed for Greenwood, where a blunder he made on international break with team-mate, Phil Foden, has given the English press a free pass on constantly mentioning him in relation to any errors or mistakes he has made. For somewhat reason, Foden has received minimal criticism compared to Greenwood, despite the former being the individual who caused the issue in Iceland by asking two women to come to the hotel bedroom.

Since the event occurred in September, the Manchester United forward has made further headlines in the English media, where it’s stated he has; arrived late to training, been involved in an argument in training with Bruno Fernandes and has been regarded as a lazy player during training. Despite the remarks that have been made, Greenwood has constantly been backed up by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, someone who has always wanted the media limelight to be away from the youngster.

Now, the main critic has to be mentioned, in other words, the English media/press, who are never writing about the good and positive stuff about footballers, but more about the errors and mistakes they make as well as about their lifestyle outside of football. Most importantly, the players that are being targeted by the media happen to be Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and now Mason Greenwood, black English footballers who are on the verge of making a huge name for themselves.

When comparing the English press to the other media outlets in Europe, the former are becoming well known for building and hyping up the players only to bring them down instantly and constantly chasing after them on their off the pitch lifestyle. Meanwhile, the latter in countries such as France, Germany and Spain, they may have the odd negative story about a certain individual or player, but they do not turn the situation into an agenda or witch hunt against them, unlike the English media.

Not only that, the English media/press only like to show one side of the story or one side of the player, as they have completely ignored the fact that the 19-year-old is mourning the death of close friend, Jeremy Wisten, who had reportedly committed suicide days after being released by Manchester City. Despite the tough period he has gone through and is currently going through, there has not been one single bit of support and sympathy from English newspapers such as Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and the Telegraph, to look out for his emotions, feelings and thoughts.

Overall, the most important thing for Mason Greenwood is, to absolutely ignore the atrocious and unacceptable comments made by the English media, whilst always remembering that he has the much needed support of his family, friends, the players and staff at Manchester United football club and the Manchester United supporters around the whole world. The youngster will surely get past this difficult phase and go onto becoming the world class player that he is destined to become.