Manchester United’s attack looks reinvigorated with Anthony Martial allowing Marcus Rashford to flourish
A lot can change in a week.
Just eight days ago Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s position as Manchester United manager looked under serious threat: the club had won just six league games in the last 22 ahead of difficult ties against Tottenham and Manchester City, while Mauricio Pochettino appeared to be waiting in the wings.
Today, however, Solskjaer’s fortunes look to have turned around in remarkable fashion. United beat both Spurs and City 2-1 in the space of four days to move up to fifth in the Premier League and are just five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
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On Sunday, United will face another challenge in the form of Everton, who have been filled with a new-found desire – or perhaps a fear to perform – by imposing interim boss Duncan Ferguson, who continues in the hot seat while the Toffees hierarchy search for Marco Silva’s permanent replacement.
There have been some calls for Ferguson to be given the job full-time following the reinvigorated performance that saw them beat Chelsea 3-1 last weekend. However, as Solskjaer knows, initial success is not always a promise of what is to come.
No9 importance
United had been sensational following the Norweigian’s initial appointment, winning eight games in succession and going 12 unbeaten, but as soon as that move was made permanent, the performances tailed off.
As well as the abysmal Premier League run that had left them in the bottom half of the table, United had failed to score more than one goal in the 12 games following the opening day victory against Chelsea.
A 3-1 win away to Norwich put an end to that run and they have since found the net with much more regularity.
The key difference has been the reintegration of Anthony Martial, who had been missing since the early part of the season through injury.
The Frenchman has scored two and assisted two in six games since returning, but it is more than just his goal contributions that have helped the team.
Without an out-and-out No9, Solskjaer had played Marcus Rashford through the middle to little avail, as well as trying a two-pronged attack with him and Daniel James.
However, both prefer to play wider and it was a formation that meant United’s attack lacked a focal point and were particularly narrow, apart from when the wing-backs overlapped.
It also highlighted the importance of the main striker’s ability to hold the ball up and bring the likes of James and Rashford into play, which is exactly what Martial does so well.
Main man Rashford
The return to the tried and tested 4-3-3 formation has suited no one better than Rashford, who looks much more at home on the left flank where he has more space to run in behind and can also cut inside to devastating effect.
A brace against Tottenham and another goal against Man City has brought his Premier League tally up to 10 goals in 16 games. By contrast, he scored just once in the five league games Martial missed with a hamstring injury, despite playing as a central striker.
The confidence with which he and the team plays in this formation meant that when Martial was unavailable to play Spurs, Solskjaer deployed youth prospect Mason Greenwood up front.
It was the 18-year-old’s first Premier League start and he fitted into the side seamlessly, allowing Rashford to flourish.
Another English player to be involved in last week’s crucial fixtures was Jesse Lingard, who earned a couple of rare starts after a difficult season so far and is now “back to his old self”, according to his boss.
His link up play with the forwards, and Rashford in particular, is a valuable asset to United’s midfield, if his goal contributions are somewhat lacking.
Similarly, Scott McTominay and Fred deserve credit in central midfield and have begun to form a strong partnership while Paul Pogba is injured and Nemanja Matic is out of favour.
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Recent results and the inconsistent form of just about everyone, except the top two Liverpool and Leicester, means that a top-four finish is still a real possibility for United, while Solskjaer will also harbour ambitions of other silverware.
United confirmed their participation in the first knockout round of the Europa League last month and will play Colchester next week for a place in the League Cup semi-finals.
In the space of a week Solskjaer has gone from his job hanging in the balance to reportedly being provided assurances by owner Joel Glazer over his future. United, meanwhile, have gone from looking over their shoulders to looking up the table once more.