This season is panning out like no other we’ve seen before. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, games are coming quick and fast with teams dropping points everywhere.
The absence of pre-season and the lack of fans inside stadiums has resulted in some unexpected results, none more than Aston Villa beating defending champions Liverpool 7-2, meaning a 21st title may not be an unrealistic ambition for Manchester United.
So far this season we have seen Everton, Leicester City, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool sit at the top of the table.
Currently, United sit eighth in the League on 16 points, but with a game in hand, the Red Devils could move within two points of Premier League leaders Spurs and with no team finding any real consistency, this could be the perfect season for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to write his name into the United folklore once again.
Speaking on the Kelly and Wright show, ex Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright said: “Everybody should be in and around trying to go for this, they should be.”
“The thing about it is, with Man United it’s what they should be doing with the squad they have honestly.”
The BBC pundit went on to add: “You cannot write off a club like Man United with the players that they’ve got.”
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If United are to go on to challenge for the title, no one will be more important to their cause than Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder has provided 15 goals and 11 assists in just 23 games since his debut, the most by any player in the league during this period.
Since making the switch to England, Fernandes has been instrumental to United after project restart, helping them pick up 21 points from a possible 27, seeing the Red Devils finish third, above Chelsea.
Bruno’s fine form has continued into this action-packed season, scoring seven goals and turning provider three times in United’s first nine games, becoming regarded as one of, if not the best midfielder in world football this season.
For arguably the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, it seems like United have quality strength in depth, with players such as Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood, and Donny van de Beek all struggling to nail down a consistent place in the starting XI.
These players have the ability to come off the bench and have an impact on a game, as seen recently when United travelled to Southampton, when Cavani was introduced at half time to overturn a two-goal deficit by assisting Bruno Fernandes, then scoring 2 headers himself, including the winner in the 92nd minute.
However, one area that may catch United out is in defence, with the only real competition for places at left back, with Luke Shaw and Alex Telles fighting for the same spot.
Solskjaer may turn to the January transfer window to fix this, with the club being linked to highly rated RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano, who seemed to impress during the sides first meeting in the Champions league, despite Leipzig losing 5-0.
The centre half has an alleged release clause of £42m in the summer, but United are reportedly interested in paying more to acquire his services sooner. Strong in the air and quick across the grass, Upamecano may be the perfect partner to United captain Harry Maguire.
One of the most pleasing things to any United fan will be the return to form of David de Gea. De Gea suffered a drop in form since the 2018 World Cup, to the extent where some United fans wanted forgotten man Sergio Romero to start in his place.
But the return of academy prospect Dean Henderson from his two loan spells at Sheffield United has brought healthy competition to the Spaniard, who has taken it in his stride, to regain some of the form that saw him become one of the best keepers in the world.
Nine games into the season, United have had an up and down start to say the least losing three and drawing one already this campaign, but still find themselves in a favourable position.
So why have things gone so right yet so wrong for Solskjaer and United this season.
The Baby-Faced Assassin has predominantly used a 4-2-3-1 formation, sacrificing creativity for defensive security by playing Fred and Scott McTominay as a pivot in front of the back four.
But the Norwegian outperformed PSG manager Thomas Tuchel and Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann by using a 5-3-2 and a 4-4-2 diamond respectively, showing he does have some managerial nous about him, something people have been quick to judge him on.
To say United are favourites to win the league is unrealistic, but up until last season the fact that football fans across the world were able to say that Leicester had won more Premier League titles than Liverpool will give any United fan hope, that Solskjaer and his squad can do the impossible.
Encouragingly, United have won their last 8 away. Games in all completions. If they can transform that form to the Theatre of Dreams. This most unpredictable of seasons may have a dramatic twist in United’s favour.
Jacob Frain Thats Sport 