Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer propel Manchester United back to their golden days? 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer maintains a perfect record in Premier League after his initial four games.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer maintains a perfect record in Premier League after his initial four games.

Manchester United had one of their worst starts to a season under former manager Jose Mourinho, as the Reds managed to get only 26 points out of their first 17 Premier League games - having already registered five draws and five losses to their names.

The disappointment reached its peak when the Red Devils visited Anfield and suffered a woeful 3-1 defeat at the hands of their eternal rivals, Liverpool. Not just the scoreline but the entire match was one-sided, as Mourinho's men managed only two shots on target as compared to eleven from the hosts.

Fed up with the stubborn behaviour of Jose Mourinho and increasing troubles for United, the club's hierarchy finally decided to sack the Portuguese tactician and appointed former player, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as the interim manager for the remainder of the season.

Since his arrival, the 45-year-old tactician has secured all the possible points in the four matches he has managed, so far, keeping a flawless record. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the first manager since Sir Matt Busby who has managed to win all four of his United games getting underway.

The Norwegian has tried three different formations in the four matches he has managed so far - scoring a mammoth number of 14 goals in the run while allowing just 3.

Solskjaer and United's momentum grew stronger with a 5-1 thrashing of Crystal Palace - the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure that the Red Devils scored five goals in a game. The arrival of Solskjaer has not only enhanced their performances but also has brought the belief back in the United squad.

Paul Pogba was sidelined in December, including the crucial away game at Anfield. However, with the arrival of the new manager, he appears to have taken a new birth. Solksjaer is building his attacking system around the Frenchman who had made the most of it by scoring four goals and providing three assists in the span of four Premier League games.

In a recent post-match interview, Pogba praised the offensive style of play under Solksjaer as he said:

“It’s different, we still won games with the old manager.
"It’s just a different style of playing. We’re more offensive and create more chances. That’s how we want to play, we want to attack and the manager wants to attack.”

Solksjaer is known for his attacking-kind of football and has provided a free role to his players - they pass, they attack, even shoot the ball from distance provided they have enough room.

There couldn't be a much better start to Solskjaer's managerial career with the senior team. The fans and the players believe in him and he is expected to bring back the glory days to Old Trafford. With the Premier League completely out of sight, it remains to see how will the Red Devils perform in the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions.

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Edited by Rahul Arun
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