With Manchester United having endured a terrible campaign up until December which led to the termination of Jose Mourinho’s contract, it would have taken only the most optimistic of United fans to have believed the club stood any chance of making the top four, as the Red Devils were 12 points behind in the race for a top four finish at the time of Jose Mourinho’s sack.
However, since Solskjaer’s appointment, there has been an upturn in fortunes at the club, as we have witnessed a massive improvement in the team’s playing style, while they have also won six matches successively in the Premier League, with players like Marcus Rashford & Paul Pogba also getting their mojo back.
Manchester United are very firmly back in the discussion for a top four finish, and with the league about to enter the nitty gritty stage, we shall be taking a look at four factors which would see Manchester United end the season in a top four spot.
#4 The form of Paul Pogba
The 25-year-old was made the world’s most expensive player in history when he completed his return to Manchester United from Juventus in the summer of 2016.
The Frenchman was expected to be the pillar upon which United’s future success would be built, but it all went horribly off script for the powerhouse midfielder.
For two and half seasons under Jose Mourinho, Pogba suffered for form and consistency, facing criticism for his performances, and having a public falling out with his manager, with the Portuguese labeling him with all sorts of names, while also benching him for marquee matches.
Things got so heated between the two that there was speculation linking Pogba with a move away from United, as he considered himself to have no future with Mourinho in charge.
In seven Premier League matches under the Norwegian, Pogba has scored six goals and provided five assists, which are figures unimaginable under Jose Mourinho, while he has also stepped up to the plate, and is now acting as an on-field leader for the Red Devils.
Pogba is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world, and on his day has the ability to decide the outcome of matches almost single-handedly, and for as long as he continues to show this kind of form, Manchester United would rightly fancy their chances of ending the season in the top four.
#3 Their rivals are there for the taking
The supreme consistency of Manchester City and Liverpool mean that the pair are very much involved in a two horse race to be crowned Premier League champions at the end of the season, leaving Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham to battle it out for the remaining two spots in the top four.
As of now, only four points separate the four teams (although Spurs have a game in hand), meaning it is very much still an open race for the two spots.
Of the four, only Tottenham can genuinely claim to have maintained any real form of consistency over the entirety of the season, as the remaining three have had to contend with shock results against lesser teams.
Chelsea began the season like a house on fire, getting 30 points from their opening 13 EPL matches, and remaining unbeaten in all competitions until they fell to a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham in November. Since then, Chelsea have been out of sorts, and have lost to Wolves, Leicester, and Arsenal.
The Gunners have also been in indifferent form despite their strong start which saw them go on a 22 match unbeaten run in all competitions, and currently find themselves looking over their shoulders at Manchester United.
The inconsistent form of both Arsenal and Chelsea as well as the news of Harry Kane’s long term injury means that none of United’s main rivals are exactly in the best of positions, which could ultimately swing the tide in their favour, in their quest for a top four finish.
#2 The players would be eager to redeem themselves
On paper, United have arguably the most balanced squad (behind Manchester City), and even though results over the last two seasons might suggest otherwise, some of the players at Old Trafford can hold their own against players anywhere in the world.
The restrictive style under Jose Mourinho stifled their growth, with players like attack minded Pogba, Rashford, & Martial (among others) declining under the watch of the wily Portuguese.
Solskjaer’s emphasis on attacking the United way has helped bring out the best of most of the United players, with Rashford in particular being a major beneficiary. The 21-year-old has now scored in four successive EPL matches for the first time ever in his career, and is showing the form which made him so highly rated upon making his debut in 2016.
United have a lot of players who have been criticised and overlooked over the last few seasons, but having been freed from their shackles, they would be all out to remind the world of their abilities, and this could ultimately propel them above the rest of the pack.
#1 The kindness of the fixture list
It is a well established fact in football that home advantage counts for a lot in the game, as the passionate noise of roaring fans has been seen to give players an extra push to go all out for victory, and this is the reason why teams ensure to finish top of their respective groups in European competitions, to have the edge of playing the second leg of their knockout ties at home.
That being said, the fixture list is a bit kind to United, because most of their remaining away fixtures are against opponents who the Manchester giants are expected to win, while the matches against their main rivals would be played at home, with their only ‘tough’ fixture remaining being away to Arsenal at the Emirates.
Old Trafford was once a fortress feared by all, and even though we have come a long way from those glorious years, any team in the world would still be wise to accord the hallowed ground some respect upon visitation, and with their passionate fans behind them, United players could go all the way and finish in the top four.
[Sportskeeda]
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