The January transfer window is starting to keep up the pace as we enter the second week of its operation. Europeā€™s best are eager to bolster their strengths, given the return of cup competitions, and we dig into the latest happenings in the English Premier League.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah to join Bayern Leverkusen

Manchester Unitedā€™s Timothy Fosu-Mensah is currently in advanced talks to join Bundesliga side Bayern Leverkusen in a Ā£1.5million deal. The Netherlands player, out of contract at the end of the season, has made only three starts for United in nearly four years and has rejected an offer of a three-year deal to find more first-team opportunities elsewhere. Fosu-Mensah wished to return to AFC Ajax, but that looks unlikely.

Bayer Leverkusen are in advanced talks to sign Timothy Fosu-Mensah from Man Utd, as per @samuelluckhurst. There are ā€˜positive feelingsļæ½?to complete the deal soon, personal terms have been agreed - there are still some details to be sorted between the two clubs. #mufc

ļæ½?Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 11, 2021

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently confirmed that two-three players would be leaving the club. When asked about the 23-year-old, he stated, ā€œItā€™s difficult when you have good players, talented players, and you canā€™t give them game-time. Heā€™s now at the stage where he needs to go and play again. It might be the end of January, or in the summer where he finds somewhere else, heā€™s working hard, so heā€™s ready for a move for any club he feels ready for."

The other players Solskjaer has hinted out are Argentine duo Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo. Both players are out of contracts and are looking for a club to buy them. Odion Ighalo, on loan from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, is expected to leave Old Trafford at the end of January.

Eddie Nketiah not leaving Arsenal this monthĀ 

Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, confirmed in a press conference that Eddie Nketiah will not leave the club in January. The youngster was linked with a move to West Ham, who are on the hunt for a replacement as Sebastien Haller left the Hammers for Ajax. The 21-year-old, and French forward Alexandre Lacazette, are in the last months of their contracts and are awaiting fresh terms.

Meanwhile, Fenerbahce are still pushing for a Mesut Ozil deal. When asked about the playerā€™s future, Arteta said he is still waiting for the right solution. ā€œThereā€™s no update. We still have to try to find the right solution for the player and the club.ļæ½?he quoted.

In other news, Rob Holding is set to sign a new contract with Arsenal. Matteo Guendouzi, on loan at Hertha Berlin, seems unlikely to make the deal permanent and could return to north London this month. On the flip side, Genoa has confirmed their intent to sign Greek defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

Stuttgart winger Nicolas Gonzalez entrancing Tottenham

The Athletic has reported a deal for VfB Stuttgartā€™s Nicolas Gonzalez to Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur. The Argentinian forward has also caught Juventus and Leeds Unitedā€™s attention, but Gonzalez is seemingly on course to sign up for Jose Mourinhoā€™s Lilywhites.

Ā 

The 22-year-old has recently signed an extension to his contract that keeps him at the club until 2024, but Stuttgart seeks around ļæ½?7 million for him to depart. The winger has been in fine form, scoring for both club and country in the past few games, and is likely to see his market value skyrocket if he continues to perform in this manner.

Nuno Mendes continues to be linked with LiverpoolĀ 

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp suggested earlier that the Premier League champions would have a relatively quiet transfer window, despite their ongoing defensive dilemma.

On the rumored Ā£60m bid for RB Leipzig center-back Dayot Upamecano, Klopp asserted that the club couldnā€™t pay such an amount for a player in the winter transfer window.

Reports strongly suggest that the Reds have submitted a higher bid for Nuno Mendes after Sporting CP have rejected an initial ļæ½?/span>25 million offer for the 18-year-old.Ā Georginio Wijnaldumā€™s future hangs in the balance after he rejected an offer by Liverpool. The club faithful is eager to see a positive development in the contract talks with the Dutch international.

Feature Image courtesy: AFP /Ā ANDREAS GEBERT

Ole Gunnar Solskjaerā€™s spell as Manchester United boss has seen several highs and lows but the one thing thatā€™s been consistent since his appointment as permanent manager is the clubā€™s inconsistency on the pitch.

On top of the world one week and in the deepest abyss in the next, Unitedā€™s Jekyll and Hyde persona is working to the detriment of any progress and will see the pressure mounting on Solskjaer if he canā€™t find a solution soon.

The 1-0 defeat at home against Arsenal over the weekend was just the latest setback in a long list of disappointments that have plagued the Reds from the start of the ongoing season. The defeat means United are winless in four home league games this season, losing three and drawing one.

Their form in Europe has been better with two wins against strong Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig sides. However, every time United look like they have taken a step forward and turned a corner, another bad result seems to be just around the bend to bring them crashing down to reality.

Thatā€™s exactly what happened against Arsenal who were underdogs against a United side that had brushed aside Leipzig 5-0 in midweek. By the end of the match, United were firmly second best and Solskjaer didnā€™t help his own with his changes during the game.

If we are to give him credit for his midweek changes in the Champions League, then he must be held accountable for his substitutions against Arsenal before even considering whether or not he got his team selection correct.

McTominay will not get the same level of criticism as Pogba because far less is expected of him. Pogbaā€™s talent or potential talent is vast. Itā€™s a shame that at the age of 27, weā€™re still talking about him fulfilling his potential. #MUFC

ļæ½?Tom McDermott (@MrTomMcDermott) November 2, 2020

While starting Scott McTominay ahead of Nemanja Matic in the deeper-lying role in the diamond formation can be overlooked, substituting Bruno Fernandes ļæ½?the teamā€™s most creative player ļæ½?while trailing and allowing the Scotsman, who had a poor game, to play the full 90 minutes wasnā€™t the smartest of ideas.

Keeping Paul Pogba on the pitch for the full game was another error in judgement on the Norwegianā€™s part. The Frenchman put on another dismal display and was at fault for giving away a penalty, not for the first time this season.

Unfortunately for Solskjaer, the record books wonā€™t remember Pogbaā€™s mistake. Much to the contrary, it will say that the Norwegian was at the helm when United lost their first league match at Old Trafford to Arsenal in 14 years.

3 - Paul Pogba has conceded three penalties in the Premier League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while no other Manchester United player has conceded more than one. Discipline. pic.twitter.com/ZXL2OrWAxp

ļæ½?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2020

It just so happened to be his 100th game in-charge of United and one that could go down as the defining match of the Ole era. For all the big-match performances that helped Solskjaer get the United job on a permanent basis, heā€™s lost against Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal already this season, while drawing with Chelsea ļæ½?all at home.

The big six English teams seem to have figured out how to play against Solskjaerā€™s United and are now making him pay. Their defeats in three semi-finals of cup competitions last year was the first indicator of Unitedā€™s system being deciphered and their failure to win any of their games against the bigger sides only accentuates that issue.

That said, perhaps the most damning indictment of Solskjaer as United boss is the lack of a clear playing style under his reign. Primarily a counter-attacking team, not having an identity beyond that is simply not good enough for any United manager almost two years into his reign.

Granted that Unitedā€™s problems run deeper than just the manager of the club and those on the board must also be looked at. But Sundayā€™s loss against Arsenal cannot be put at the boardā€™s feet and itā€™s the Norwegian who needs to be held accountable for his questionable changes, if nothing else.

For what itā€™s worth, Solskjaer will always remain a legend of the club. After all, his winner in the 1999 Champions League club is entrenched deep in the history and DNA of the club.Ā 

However, past accolades as a player and goodwill can only take you so far without good performances. And as harsh as it may sound, if Solskjaer canā€™t solve the riddle that is consistency quickly then he doesnā€™t just risk facing the sack but also tarnishing his legacy as a Red, something that no one associated with the club will want.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

16: Manchester Unitedā€™s current position in the Premier League after three rounds of fixtures.

However shallow the position may look, it is safe to say that Manchester United are actually fortunate enough to gather three points from as many games so far this season. They have been thwacked by Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, and itā€™s a rightful notion that they didnā€™t deserve the points they won against Brighton at the Amex Stadium in September.

The Manchester United backline has shipped in 11 goals in their opening three Premier League games, a figure that took them 11 games to reach last season. It wasnā€™t until their meeting with Bournemouth in November 2019 that they equalled the numbers.

The shrink in both attack and defence is worrying for Manchester United especially at the time when their rivals have spent a bucket load in bringing in suitable reinforcement.Ā 

ā€œWe know we lack one, two, three players to be considered a title contender and some experience. We know that," manager Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer had said following their 2-0 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford last season. Make no mistake, Unitedā€™s form was rightfully worrying their opponents. In fact, they didnā€™t lose a single game in their last 14 league matches of the 2019-20 season (W9 D5), but as the season progressed, they became easier to read.

It is clear that while their attack is bearing no confidence this season, the defence has crumbled to a greater extent, and all that puts Ole Gunnar Solskjaer under immense pressure. He may well and truly be one of the first managers to lose his job this season given how greatly the rumours of Mauricio Pochettino are doing rounds, but is the Norweigan the only one to blame?

Solskjaer is just a scapegoat

Manchester United finishing third in the 201/20 season gave the club faithful enough rationality to believe that the club was finally moving forward. All that, however, was put to rest once the 2020/21 summer transfer window slammed shut and United ended up signing just three senior team players in Donny van de Beek, Alex Telles and Edinson Cavani.

For Solskjaer, he was pretty clear about blueprint; an idea of building a team around youth, something where Cavani doesnā€™t fit. The Norweigan, for all we know, was quite comprehensible about getting Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. Now, there are several facets to why the deal didnā€™t go through.Ā 

In Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish and a commanding centre-back, Manchester United missed out on every single one of Ole Gunnar SolskjƦr's targets this summer

ļæ½?utdreport (@utdreport) October 7, 2020

For the starters, letā€™s establish that the United board was lazy in their approach. They didn't acknowledge Dortmund's 10 August 'deadlineļæ½?to complete the deal and waited for the final hour to see if they can break the Germansļæ½?resolute. That was never going to happen though as Dortmund were firm on their Ā£108m valuation of the player. Spending that kind of money in the current financial climate is certain to cause anxiety, but bear in mind that the player in question is just 20 years old and would have brought in so much more to this club.

Their incompetent approach despite the winger agreeing to the personal terms affected several facets. United simply had no plan B in their negotiation, and in the midst, they failed to find suitors for the fringe players, eventually ending up hammering the axe on their own foot.Ā 

Furthermore, if reports are to be believed, Solskjaer had further highlighted Aston Villa captain jack Grealish and RBĀ Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano, but the board failed to bring any of them.

The problems at Manchester United go deeper and way back to the time the Glazer family completed its takeover (2005). For the first time in the club's history, the Reds Devils wereĀ loaded in Ā£525mĀ of debt, and issues have been on a rise ever since. FromĀ 'Love United, Hate Glazer' slogan to the absolute mouth-thrashing of the vice-chairmanĀ Ed Woodward, fans have been quite vocal about their disliking of the board.

Playing cat and mouse

While it became evident that Sanchoā€™s a gone case, United moved towards Barcelonaā€™s Ousmane Dembele. The problem with this deal was, in fact, the idea that the Catalan club wanted a permanent deal, while United were only offering a loan tenure. Same was the approach for Watfordā€™s Ismaila Sarr.

Three fans with a ā€˜Glazers Out, Woodward Outļæ½?banner outside Old Traffordā€™s players and staff exit tonight. pic.twitter.com/ePDp5BtUn9

ļæ½?Mark Critchley (@mjcritchley) October 4, 2020

Letā€™s not forget their handling of the entire Alex Tellesļæ½?negotiation. The constant back and forth with regards to the fee almost cost them the deal. It seemed like United were just hobbling around options a few days before the deadline day. The club eventually ended up acquiring Edinson Cavani - a free agent- who represents nothing but a far cry from the club which is looking to salvage a rather unproductive transfer business into a reasonable one.

While the teamā€™s current performance is a major concern, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has inflicted a new life amongst the supporters, which was evidently missing since Alex Ferguson departed. The arrogance and incompetence the board has shown, however, puts everyone at the club in a muddle. And it is certain to backfire at a given point of time.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

For the first time since 1953, reigningĀ English top-flight champions - Liverpool in this case - conceded seven goals in a single game as Dean Smith's Astin Villa hammered the Reds 7-2 to continue their flying start of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign. Earlier on Sunday, a helpless Manchester United were bashed 6-1 by Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur in what was the Portuguese second visit to Old Trafford since leaving the Red Devils last year.

There were several things to take note of from these two games. For instance, Liverpool conceded sevenĀ goals in a game for the first time since April 1963. And well, it was in the first time in the history of the competition that both United and LiverpoolĀ conceded six goals in a match on the same day.

For United, they did start the game well, with midfielder Bruno Fernandes converting from the spot in as early as the second minute. The lead, however, didn't last long as Tottenham went 2-1 inside seven minutes. Striker Anthony Martial was shown a straight red two minutes before the half-hour mark, and Tottenham went on cornage. The likes of Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane completed a brace, while right-back Serge Aurier was on the scoresheet as well. Ironically, United conceded six goals in a single Premier League game for only the third time in their history and all came in October.

Liverpool, on the other hand, were made to look like a bunch of freshers by Aston Villa. New signing Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick in the first half and John McGinn was on target to make it 4-1 mid-way through the game. Mohamed Salah did pull one back, but Villa didn't hold back and went on to score seven past the champions.

It was a meme fest on Twitter after the games, and this is how the fans are reacting to the results:

Liverpool couldn't allow Manchester United to dominate the headlines today. What a rivalry!

ļæ½?PRIVATE FIGURE (@privatefigure_) October 5, 2020

Manchester United & Liverpool fans tonight pic.twitter.com/5gIH6pwoR7

ļæ½?The Inbetweeners (@inbetweenervid) October 4, 2020

If someone had told me that Manchester United and Liverpool would concede a joint 13 goals in one PL day, I would have called the person crazy!

ļæ½?Ugbedeojo (@Certifiedopeboi) October 4, 2020

Liverpool saw Manchester United hold 6 and said "we r doing this together"

ļæ½?Dr Toolz (@toolzdeyforyou) October 4, 2020

Chelseaā€™s 04/05 title winning team conceded 15 goals in a whole campaign, Liverpool and Manchester United have conceded a combined 13 times this Sunday already, just wanted to tell you how crazy John Terry and co used to be.

ļæ½?Pys (@CFCPys) October 4, 2020

When twitter is lit with banter but you're a Manchester United or Liverpool fan pic.twitter.com/BjCD0alZ6S

ļæ½?WelBeast (@WelBeast) October 4, 2020

The Manchester United Liverpool rivalry is so intense they canā€™t even let us suffer a heavy loss in peace without looking to outdo us.

ļæ½?į“¬į“ŗį“ŗį“±į“¹į“¬į“æį“µļæ½?(@Anna__Dray) October 4, 2020

Teacher: what comes after 5?

Me: 6,7...

Teacher: Why did you write Manchester United and Liverpool ? pic.twitter.com/Q7jBn9tWag

ļæ½?SamAkintunde (@samkizz_elenu) October 4, 2020

Football Goals

āš½ļø : Goal
āš½ļøāš½ļø : Brace
āš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļø : Hattrick
āš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļø : Quattrick
āš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļø : Manchester City
āš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļø : Manchester United
āš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļø : Liverpool
āš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļøāš½ļø : Barcelona

ļæ½?@TwitBola (@KepoBALL) October 5, 2020

Looks like Allardyce will be needed at City, United and Liverpool.

ļæ½?Richard Amofa (@RichardAmofa) October 4, 2020

We watched Man Utd earlier today and said Donā€™t worry Ole, you'll never walk alone.

ļæ½?Boring James Milner (@BoringMilner) October 4, 2020

Who would have thought that Klopp would be out before Solskjaer?

ļæ½?Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) October 4, 2020

Only Spurs can beat Man Utd 6-1 at Old Trafford and still have their result overshadowed

ļæ½?Robbie Lyle (@ItsDonRobbie) October 4, 2020

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

Despite spending over one billion pounds in the transfer market since Sir Alex Fergusonā€™s departure from the club in 2013, Manchester United have barely managed to mount a single title charge in the Premier League.

The closest they came was in 2017/18, where they finished second behind Manchester City, who won the league by 19 points. A lot of Unitedā€™s woes come from their atrocious signings that have either underperformed massively or rot on the bench before departing on a free at the end of their contracts.

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been trying to clear the deadwood at the club, getting rid of Marouane Fellaini, Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku, all of whom were considered surplus to requirement at Old Trafford.

Despite the massive clearance job, Solskjaer and the club still have a job on their hands if they are clear the players that are no longer needed at the club. Below, we take a look at three players that Manchester United will be most keen to get rid of:Ā 

Phil Jones

Itā€™s hard to believe, but Phil Jones is entering his 10thĀ season with Manchester United. He is one of only five players in the Premier League alongside Everton's Seamus Coleman, Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, Liverpoolā€™s Jordan Henderson and teammate David De Gea to feature in every Premier League campaign in the past nine years for the same club.

• Three left-backs Man Utd could target instead of Alex Telles

Despite spending nine seasons at the club, Jones has played only 224 matches for Manchester United, an average of just under 25 games a season. The centre-back has 123 games through injuries and has also been highly unreliable when played in the past two campaigns.

Jones still has three years left on his current deal at United. Despite his injury record, Jones is still a vastly experienced Premier League footballer and at 28, is still pretty young for a defender. Manchester United have to cash in on Jones while he still has some market value left and ease some of the burdens on their wage bill.

Andreas Pereira

Itā€™s hard to decipher what Andreas Pereira is good at. The 24-year-old is neither an elite playmaker nor is he a top-class goalscorer. He certainly hasnā€™t shown any ability to dictate play from midfield, despite Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer frequently deploying him in that role.

• Three players Arsenal could offload in the summer transfer window

At best, Pereira is a decent second striker or a player that can play wide on the right. At his worst, Pereira is a player that couldnā€™t start for Valencia or Las Palmas on his loan spell at either club. If he wasnā€™t from Manchester United's famed academy, Pereira would be long gone from United but thereā€™s still time for United to ship the 24-year-old to the highest bidder.

Marcos Rojo

Signed by Louis van Gaal after an excellent campaign at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil to be the left-footed centre-back in Manchester United's backline, Marcos Rojo's stint at the club will only be remembered for his two-footed tackles and his speculative efforts from all of 40 yards from goal, rather than his excellence of the pitch.

Barring Jose Mourinho's first season at the club where Rojo featured heavily alongside Eric Bailly at the heart of the defence, the Argentine has always been a backup at the club or an injury absentee.

Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has shown no interest in integrating Rojo into the team and even allowed him to join Estudiantes on loan for the latter half of the 2019-2020 campaign. With United struggling to find suitors for the 30-year-old, it would be difficult to imagine the club receiving reasonable fees for the Argentine. However, with Rojo reportedly earning Ā£160,000-a-week, United would just be content with having him off the books.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ben Stansall

2019-20 finish: 3rd (18W-12D-8L, 66 points)

Head coach: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

2019-20 PL top scorer: Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford (Scored 17 PL goals each)

Other Trophies: None

Manchester United made a terrific turnaround in the Premier League last season. After a poor run of form initially, the Red Devils finally found their groove after Bruno Fernandes' arrival from Sporting Lisbon in January. Even though Champions League qualification looked like a distant dream for them at that point, Bruno's arrival completely changed Manchester United's fortunes. The 26-year-old infused a new life into United's midfield and brought about a much-needed cohesion between their attack and defence.

The Red Devils went on a 14-game unbeaten run towards the closing stages of the Premier League last season and that sums up how good they were. Yes, they still couldn't win any silverware, but to make a comeback from such a bad situation and still finish third in the competition speaks volumes about the talent and ability of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's young squad. This performance has given them immense confidence and they will only look to carry it forward into this season.

Issues Manchester United faced last season

One of the major issues they faced towards the first half of the previous season was the lack of a creative force in the midfield. Paul Pogba was injured for that period but the problem got sorted out once Fernandes arrived. Pogba formed a lethal partnership with him once he got fit as well. Another major issue was the myriad of mistakes made by their defenders and David de Gea, who is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

The defence let down the forwards and midfielders on multiple occasions and that's something Solskjaer needs to concentrate on resolving this time around. It's not that they don't have quality players in defence. The likes of Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and others are amongst the best defenders in the world. All they need to figure out is a way to work together as a unit on a consistent basis.

Have the issues been resolved this season?

The midfield has been strengthened further with the acquisition of Donny van de Beek from Ajax. If Paul Pogba leaves United this summer, Solskjaer now has a quality replacement for him. The arrival of Dean Henderson after his memorable loan spell at Sheffield United is good news for the Red Devils as well. If de Gea shows no signs of improving in the initial few games of the season, Solskjaer can always rely on the young Henderson to take over the role. While these two boxes have already been ticked, the Manchester United boss is probably on the hunt for a reliable defender in the transfer market now. A quality addition to the squad will only strengthen the back four.

Predictions for Manchester United's 2020/21 season

It would probably be too early to ask Manchester United for a Premier League title, for they are yet to reach Manchester City and Liverpool's levels. However, a top-four or even a top-three finish is definitely on the cards, and if the youngsters can be consistent enough, they could even end up winning at least one of the other silverwares.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

With a third-place finish in the Premier League to secure Champions League football for the next season and a run until the Europa League semi-finals, itā€™s fair to say that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done a fairly good job in his first full season as Manchester United manager.

However, to say it was all smooth sailing for the Norwegian manager would be disingenuous at best. Solskjaerā€™s first full season as Unitedā€™s permanent boss was anything but straightforward and was more like a rollercoaster ride from start to finish.

After a 4-0 victory over Chelsea on the opening day of the 2019/20 Premier League season, optimism grew among United fans but that would be short-lived as the Reds went on a three-match winless run that saw them take just two points from the nine available.

A difficult start

A win against Leicester City in their fifth league game of the season brought United some momentary respite but two loses and a draw from their next three matches highlighted their inability to break down teams that sat deep and the inconsistent nature of the squad.

• Are Man United equipped to do well in the Champions League?

The pattern of United beating the so-called bigger sides in the Premier League while failing to overcome sides towards the bottom half of the table continued till January. The pressure on Solskjaer reached the boiling point when United came out on the wrong end of a 2-0 defeat against Burnley.

The voices calling for Solskjaerā€™s sacking grew louder following the Burnley defeat with United six points adrift of the top four and 14 points behind third-placed Leicester after 24 matches into the season. The feeling around the club at the time was the Norwegian was another loss away from being relieved off his duties.

Little did the dissenting voices at the time know that the Burnley loss would be Unitedā€™s last defeat in the league for the season and key to their revival was the acquisition of Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes.

Bruno Fernandes inspires a revival

Desperate to add to their depleted midfield options, United paid a hefty sum for Fernandes but the galvanizing effect that he had on the rest of the squad proved to be well worth the investment. With Fernandes in the team, United looked a completely different side from the one we had grown accustomed to watching in the first half of the season.

The Red Devils inspired by Fernandes proceeded to go on an 11-game unbeaten run before the pandemic halted football for over two months. At the time, cautious optimism returned to the club even though the break thwarted Unitedā€™s momentum.

• The newest #7: Why Man United are desperate to sign Jadon Sancho

When football did return, all eyes were back on Solskjaer and United with several pundits still uncertain if the Reds could make the top four. After a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in their first game back after lockdown, Solskjaerā€™s men won their next four matches by a three-goal margin and became the first-ever team in the Premier League to do so.

4 - Manchester United are the first side in @premierleague history to win four consecutive games by a margin of 3+ goals, with the last team to do so in the English top-flight being Liverpool in October 1987. Powerhouse. pic.twitter.com/5B2wmxEngS

ļæ½?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 9, 2020

Rampant Reds

Key to this run of results were Fernandes, Anthony Martial and teenage sensation Mason Greenwood. While Fernandes continued his pre-lockdown form, Martial, who is enjoying his best season till date under the influence of Solskjaer, scored Unitedā€™s first hat-trick in the league since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

View this post on Instagram

Tony's most prolific season to date #MUFC #Martial

A post shared by Manchester United (@manchesterunited) on Aug 18, 2020 at 5:59am PDT

The Norwegianā€™s coaching, in fact, is perhaps best reflected in Martial, who has scored as many goals under the tutelage of the current United manager in the 2019-20 campaign as he did over his past two seasons. Martialā€™s potential was never up for debate, however, no manger has got more out of the Frenchman than Solskjaer.

Another player who has forced everybody to sit up and take notice, especially after the lockdown was Greenwood. The 18-year-old returned after lockdown looking stronger and scored four goals in three matches to cut the gap to the top four.

A nervous win over Crystal Place sandwiched by draws against Southampton and West Ham United meant that United went into the final week of Premier League action in the top four. That said, they had to overcome Leicester away from home on the final day of the campaign to secure Champions League football and that was never going to be easy.

Even though they had wiped away Leicesterā€™s 14-point lead following their defeat to Burnley in January, a loss on the final day would undo everything. Fortunately for United, that wasnā€™t going to be the case as they came away from the King Power Stadium with three points and Champions League football.

By doing so, Solskjaer at the very least has ensured that heā€™ll be at the helm at Old Trafford next season. However, doubts about his long-term future with the Reds still continue as critics point at their points tally of 66 being the same as they managed in the 2018-19 season to imply a lack of progress.

Trophies next season a must

Be that as it may, what the points table doesnā€™t show you is what Solskjaer has done off the pitch. Not only has he got rid off high-profile and underperforming individuals like Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez after deeming them surplus to requirement, the United gaffer has also brought in a host of young and hungry youth team prospects into the first-team squad.

A lack of hunger and desire was a problem in the squad at the time of his arrival but not anymore. The Norwegian himself is under no illusions when it comes to the task at hand that he has at Old Trafford. He had even earlier said to expect some short-term pain for long-term gain.

And with patience as well as time, Solskjaer may well fulfil his promise of returning United to the top. But heā€™ll need to be wary that many pundits and fans still remain unconvinced with him as manager despite him getting the better of Pep Guardiola thrice, Premier League Manager of the Year-nominated Frank Lampard thrice and former manager Jose Mourinho once last season.

So, while the narratives that develop around him is not something that is in his control and three semi-final defeats over the course of the season don't paint a bright picture, Solskjaer can take heart from United's second-highest league finish in the post-Fergie era and hope to kick on in the next campaign after what was a see-saw season which saw him endure incredible highs and devastating lows.

Feature image courtesy: AFP /Ā Martin Meissner

After the much-maligned Jesse Lingard stole the ball off Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and caressed it home into an empty net deep into stoppage time at the King Power Stadium, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer smiled from ear-to-ear. His team pulled off what seems like a miracle, outfoxing the Foxes and Chelsea to finish third in the Premier League table.Ā 

The overwhelming feeling was that of relief rather than joy, as the England record-champions sealed a spot in next seasonā€™s UEFA Champions League after a tumultuous campaign. Solskjaer, who has been criticized by fans and media alike, deserves plaudits aplenty for what he has achieved this season.

Things are looking up for Ole

The Norwegian reached the semi-final of both domestic cup competitions and finished only behind Liverpool and Manchester City, who are arguably the two best teams on the planet when it comes to the Premier League.Ā 

Heā€™s gotten the best out of young forwards Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford and helped divisive superstar Paul Pogba resettle at the club after two strenuous years under former manager Jose Mourinho.Ā 

His integration of teenager Mason Greenwood and January signing Bruno Fernandes in the starting XI made a huge impact on Unitedā€™s campaign and saw them play some swashbuckling football to finish the Premier League campaign with a 14-game unbeaten run.Ā Ā 

Solskjaer and his side will now head to Portugal, where his side are one of the overwhelming favourites to lift the Europa League, and the club legend will be eager to add a European trophy to his CV in his first full season as United manager.

The 20-time English champions are also the front-runners, perhaps the only runners, in the race to sign Borussia Dortmundā€™s young sensation Jadon Sancho. Murmurs around Europe suggest that itā€™s a matter of when rather than if the Red Devils secure the Englishmanā€™s signature.

Itā€™s been a good year for Manchester United so far but thereā€™s no time for the club to rest on their laurels. They still have to close the gap on champions Liverpool who finished 33 points clear of United and more importantly, improve on their abysmal performances in the Champions League.

A decade of disappointment in the UCL

Since their loss to Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League final, their third appearance in the final in four years, United have been lacklustre in Europeā€™s premier cup competition.

In the nine seasons that have followed that 3-1 defeat, United have been booted out of the group stage twice, beaten in the quarter-final twice, lost in the round-of-16 twice and have failed to qualify for the UCL thrice. During this period, the club has spent well over one billion pounds on players but have been below par under the bright lights of the Champions League.

Unitedā€™s last appearance in the Champions League was in the 2018-2019 campaign, where they scripted one of the greatest comebacks in the competitionā€™s history, fighting their way back from a 0-2 home deficit to beat PSG 3-1 at the Parc De Princes to advance to the quarter-final.Ā 

It was this match that all but confirmed Solskjaerā€™s appointment as the United boss, but the fairytale didnā€™t last long as United were thumped 0-4 on aggregate in the last-eight stage by Barcelona, ending another disappointing European run for the three-time winners of the competition.Ā 

A squad assembled for success

Unitedā€™s defence was statistically among the best in Europe. The team kept more clean sheets than any other in Europeā€™s top five leagues. However, their deep runs in cup competitions against inferior opponents have played a part in bloating the number.Ā 

However, the defence has kept clean sheets home and away against Chelsea and Leicester in the league and also conceded just one goal in two matches against Manchester City, who were the leagueā€™s top scorers with 102 goals.Ā 

Unitedā€™s defence has played better as a unit as the season has progressed, with Aaron Wan Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw getting acquainted with playing alongside each other. However, the frequent errors from goalkeeper David de Gea, who also let a weak Leo Messi shot beat him in last seasonā€™s 0-3 defeat at the Camp Nou in the Champions League.Ā 

United, though, have standout keeper Dean Henderson waiting in the wings to take over the goalkeeperā€™s spot in the starting XI and Solskjaer will certainly be relaxed about his teamā€™s goalkeeping situation.

In Nemanja Matic, Pogba and Fernandes, United have a midfield that is on par with any in the world. Fernandesļæ½?end product and his industry, Pogbaā€™s playmaking and his vision, and Maticā€™s incredibly composed figure behind the two give the team the perfect blend in midfield.Ā 

Talented young midfielder Scott McTominay and Brazilian Fred provide enough depth for United. However, they would ideally like to bring in another midfielder and have been constantly linked to Aston Villaā€™s Jack Grealish and Ajaxā€™s Donny van de Beek.

The improvement that the attacking players have shown is perhaps Solskjaerā€™s biggest achievement so far. Martial and Rashford have scored 23 each - their most prolific campaigns by far - and Greenwood tied Wayne Rooneyā€™s record of 18 for most goals by a teenager for Manchester United in a season. It is particularly remarkable because the 18-year-old wasnā€™t a regular starter in the Premier League till about 10 games ago.

Add Jadon Sancho in the mix and United could have an attack that can rip apart any defence.

How will United fare in the Champions League next season?

As it stands, United will be in Pot 2 of the Champions League draw, which consists of league runners-up and teams with a good co-efficient, UEFAā€™s club ranking metric.Ā 

Pot 1 consists of league champions and Europa League winners, so itā€™s essential for United to win the competition and avoid the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG and Juventus in the group stage and increase their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage as group winners and get a favourable matchup in the round-of-16.Ā Ā 

Post that, itā€™s all luck. United reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2011 by beating an average Marseille side, an out-of-form Chelsea and surprise semi-finalists Schalke.Ā 

Even if United get a tough draw, itā€™s unlikely to bother them much, as their pace on the counter is pretty much unrivalled and has been a hallmark of Manchester United sides of the past as well as the teams during Solskjaerā€™s tenure.Ā 

Winning the Europa League should be high on the agenda for Manchester United because if they do, it increases their odds of securing a favourable draw and venturing deep into the competition - something they have done for a decade.Ā 

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Geoffroy van der Hasselt

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says victory in the Europa League could be a stepping stone to a new era of success for Manchester United.

United finished third in the Premier League after an impressive end to the virus-interrupted season, meaning they will return to the Champions League next season.

The Old Trafford club look certain to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Wednesday after winning the first leg of their last-16 tie against Austrian side LASK 5-0 in March

Solskjaer said winning the first piece of silverware under his leadership would be "massive" in terms of forging a winning mentality.

"You can see that," the Norwegian told his pre-match press conference on Tuesday. "When Sir Alex (Ferguson) won the Premier League for the first time that was the start of the Premier League era. It started with the FA Cup (in 1990).Ā 

"For me personally, when I won my first trophy as a player it made me more hungry because you saw the highs of it, how much it meant for everyone."

Solskjaer also referred to his success as a manager -- he won the first league title in Norwegian club Molde's history in 2011.

"That was the first time for the club in the 100-year history. Since then we've won it four times in about eight or nine years so it was a big change for that club and for me for this team as well if we can get our hands on a trophy, it's a big step forward."

Sancho move?

Solskjaer kept his cards close to his chest over the possible signing of Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho.

United are hoping to make the 20-year-old their marquee signing in the transfer window when the impact of the pandemic means few other clubs can get anywhere near the lofty asking price.

It is understood that discussions are ongoing about a deal for the England winger.

The Bundesliga club have reportedly set an August 10 deadline and want more than Ā£100 million ($130 million) for the player.

But Solskjaer gave little away on Tuesday.

"This transfer window is a long one and every transfer takes its course," he said. "It is what it is. At the moment, I've got no updates for you anyway so if there's any news, we'll update you."

Chris Smalling had hoped to remain involved in the Europa League with Roma, but an extension to his season-long loan move has not been reached.

The defender said he was disappointed that he "can't finish what we started this season" as the Serie A side prepared to face Sevilla, with Solskjaer ready to welcome the 30-year-old back to Old Trafford.

By contrast, Alexis Sanchez has been given the green light from United to feature in the Europa League for Inter Milan.

The forward has been a huge disappointment at Old Trafford and it has been reported that discussions over a permanent exit are ongoing.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Carl Recine