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There has been a breath of fresh air at Old Trafford, as the tumultuous days of Jose Mourinho are now a part of their history. Under the Portuguese manager, United had descended to an all-time low, playing a style of football that left their fans uninspired.
However, since the appointment of Ole Gunner Solskjaer, the Red Devils have seen an upturn in fortunes, playing the type of attacking football they were used to under Ferguson, which has gotten fans believing again.
The Red Devils are unbeaten after 13 matches in the league under Solskjaer, which has seen them head into the race for top-four finish. Barely two months ago, they were a massive 12 points behind their rivals and hopes for a top-four finish seemed almost impossible.
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The Norwegian has also helped bring out the best in a number of his players, most of whom struggled under Mourinho. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at four players who labored earlier in the season but are now cornerstones of Manchester United's resurgence.
#4 Victor Lindelof
Victor Lindelof was one of the highest rated young defenders in Europe following his performances for four seasons for Portuguese giants Benfica.
This prompted a €45m transfer to Manchester United in the summer of 2017. Like all other new arrivals under Mourinho, the Swede struggled to get to grips with Manchester United. He was often subjected to regular criticisms following multiple errors and he struggled for gametime by just making 17 appearances in his debut season.
His stock did not improve much in his second campaign, even though he became a more regular player. Most of his performances were error sprewn, which raised concerns that he might end up being a United flop.
However, since the appointment of Soslskjaer, the 24-year-old has seen vast improvements in his performance level (as with most of his teammates), making himself an invaluable part of the United backline. At the same time, he has drawn massive praise for his performances.
In January, he scored his first goal for United when he headed in a stoppage time equalizer in the 2-2 draw against Burnley to complete a remarkable turnaround from two goals down.
Victor Lindelof is a player reborn under Solskjaer and he has undoubtedly been one of the driving forces behind Manchester United's revamp.
#3 Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku is the most expensive Belgian footballer in Premier League history, following his £75 million signing from Everton in the summer of 2017.
The Belgian record goalscorer immediately became a mainstay in the first team, winning praise from his manager Jose Mourinho on numerous occasions. In his first season, he went on to make 51 appearances in all competitions and scored 27 goals.
However, despite the fact that the 25-year-old could do no wrong in Mourinho's eyes, he was heavily criticized by the media and fans alike for his laborious play, one-dimensional style and poor touch. When the Red Devils struggled, Lukaku's limitations were also exposed.
He lost his starting place in the squad towards the end of Mourinho's reign, watching on from the bench as the season descended into chaos.
When Ole took over, the Norwegian preferred to play Marcus Rashford in a central striker role, with Lukaku most times making appearances off the bench. However, in the last few weeks, the Belgian has been restored to the starting 11 and he has proved his worth by scoring a brace in each of the last two fixtures. Overall, the striker has 12 goals in 26 EPL games thus far.
#2 Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford had a splendid introduction to United fans, scoring a brace on his debut in the Europa League against Midtjylland. In his first game against Arsenal, he repeated the feat.
The 21-year-old has long been touted as one of the best young players in the world owing to his tremendous potential, but he was in danger of frittering out due to his struggles under Jose Mourinho. At one point, there were speculations that he could leave Old Trafford.
Public chides, demoralizing substitutions and questions about his maturity level, Rashford was not spared any punches from Mourinho, with all this having a massive impact on his performances. The England international went from being confident and technical to a player unsure in his abilities and second-guessing every move.
Like most of his teammates, Rashford has been one of the most major beneficiaries of the change in management at Old Trafford, being deployed in a central role and flourishing as the spearhead of United's attack.
In 11 Premier League matches under Ole Gunner Solskjaer, Rashford has scored six goals and assisted two to help propel United up the table and install him as one of the favorites to be named PFA Young Player of the Year.
#1 Paul Pogba
Undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary of Solksjaer's appointment, Paul Pogba has been a revelation since the Norwegian took over.
The French man arrived at United in the summer of 2016 for a world record fee with the intention of taking United back to its former glory. He formerly stated that he had 'unfinished business' at the club, but that did not happen, as his time has been characterized by numerous off-field incidents.
Clashes with Jose Mourinho dominated headlines around the world, with numerous videos and reports showing how far their relationship had deteriorated. His performances also drew constant criticism, as accusations pointed at him for being a show-off and inconsistent player.
However, for all of his troubles at United under Mourinho, Pogba is an excellent player, possessing a technique that only few in the world are blessed with, this much was evident in glimpses under Mourinho, as well as with his performances at Juventus and with the French national team.
Solksjaer and Pogba had history together when the Norwegian was in charge of United's youth team setup. Back then, he was in awe of Pogba's abilities and one of the first things he promised was to build the team around him and bring the best out of the World Cup winner.
So far, the 46-year-old has come good on his promise as the 25-year-old former Juventus man has been totally reborn under his watch. Pogba began Solksjaer's reign with two assists in his first match in charge against former club Cardiff City, following that up with a brace in the 3-1 victory over Huddersfield Town.
In total, Pogba has scored eight goals and registered six assists in 12 EPL matches under Solksjaer. This form has seen him installed as one of the forerunners to be crowned the PFA Player of the Year.
