Manchester United 3-1 Huddersfield Town: 5 Talking Points, Premier League 2018/19

Manchester United entertained Huddersfield Town at Old Trafford on Boxing Day as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his home debut as manager. It was a joyous Christmas for United, as they claimed a 3-1 win.

Anthony Martial missed the game due to illness, while summer recruit Fred got a rare start for United. Nemanja Matic opened the scoring when he tapped home from close range after a set piece situation. Paul Pogba doubled United's lead in the second half when he latched on to Ander Herrera's pass. Pogba made it 3-0 soon after when he scored sumptuously from outside the box.

Mathias Jørgensen got a late consolation for the visitors from a set piece in the dying minutes. The win was the second straight one for Solskjaer, while Huddersfield are now rooted to the bottom of the table.

On that note, here are the major talking points from the game which unfolded at Old Trafford.

#1 Statistics showing a considerable change in United's attacking instincts

Under Jose Mourinho, United used to adopt a more conservative approach to games. This approach was successful last season, but it has not worked this time. Solskjaer has vocally said that his side needs to practice attacking football, and the statistics give weight to his words.

United's possession against Huddersfield was 64.7% up from their season average of 53.5%. They took 16 shots, which are also up from the average of 13.1. The dribbles are up from 7.4 to 10, the key passes are up from 9.6 to 11. Most importantly, the goals scored are up as well. The attacking numbers seem to be improving across the board.

Solskjaer said, "The attacking philosophy is in the walls of Man United. That’s tradition, that’s history, that’s how we play and want to play. I said that when we get one goal then we want to get two, and when we get two then we want to get three. That’s the nature of this club: you always go an attack." Two games on, he is definitely keeping his word thus far.

#4 The loss pushes Huddersfield to the foot of the table

The signs are grim for David Wagner

This Christmas is not a merry one for the Huddersfield camp. Fulham claimed a draw in their early match against Wolves, which pushed them to 19th place. This meant that Huddersfield are at the bottom of the league, with just 10 points from 19 games.

If they keep up with this pace, they will accumulate 20 points come May, which is far away from the mark to avoid relegation. David Wagner's impressive win at Wolves seems a lifetime away, and they have lost all the six games since.

Huddersfield have scored just 12 goals, which is the lowest in the league. Aaron Mooy, their best player, has been sidelined for a substantial time. He was sorely missed at Old Trafford. Simply put, Wagner has a mammoth task ahead of him. If he keeps the Terriers in the top flight, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

#3 Fluid attack paying dividends for Manchester United

The United attack looked promising

For the second game in a row, United played without an orthodox striker. The pacy and agile Marcus Rashford started in a central role, flanked on either side by Jese Lingard and Juan Mata. Their fluid movement caused problems for Huddersfield, just like in Cardiff a couple of days ago.

The trio of Lingard, Mata, and Rashford was quite narrow and did not hesitate to interchange their positions from time to time. Mata and Lingard especially dropped deep to receive the ball, which gave space to the full-backs Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot.

Romelu Lukaku is not with the squad for personal reasons. He will definitely come into Solskjaer's thinking when he makes his return. But given the success he has had with this fluid attack, one can't blame him if he persists with it. Alexis Sanchez's imminent return also bodes well for the same.

#2 Solskjaer's brought a breath of fresh air with him to Old Trafford

So far, so good for Solskjaer

As Jose Mourinho's spell at Manchester United was drawing to a close, the atmosphere surrounding the club was negative. The fans, players, manager, and the board all seemed to be on a different page. Some change was the need of the hour, and off went Mourinho. In his place came Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and he has hit the ground running.

He was a fan favourite from the off, due to his contributions as a player. The results have followed, and it has given optimism to the United supporters. The attacking nature of the United side the past two games have also provided some great football to watch.

Given the nature of his role, there is no real pressure under Solskjaer. That seems to be suiting him, as United are letting the shackles go.

#1 Paul PogBack loving life under Solskjaer

Pogba has been brilliant in the last two games

It has only been two games under the new boss, but the signs are promising for Paul Pogba. The Frenchman was the star performer for United against Huddersfield, courtesy of his two well-taken goals.

His first was a low finish from inside the box, but the second one was worth watching. Picking up the ball outside the area, Pogba let loose nonchalantly. He picked out the bottom corner precisely, giving Jonas Lossl no chance.

Pogba has recorded two goals and two assists in his last two games. Against Huddersfield, he has the most touches, passes in final third, dribbles completed, chances created, and shots on target. He played in an advanced position, which enabled him to have a better impact on the game. The midfield three suits him, and the last two games have shown why.

So far, so good for Solskjaer regarding his star player.