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Manchester United are facing a lot of stick from every corner of late. The recent run of events has seen a return of despair among fans and why not? Solskjaer's appointment had been a breath of fresh air for the club after Mourinho had taken them to the verge of depression. However, the Norwegian's Midas touch seems to have waned of late and the club are now looking at the possibility of missing out Champions League next season.
United have been extremely poor on the field of late. They have crashed out of the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League and are yet to secure a top 4 place with just 4 games remaining. There is a growing belief that United will miss out of the Champions League places because of the extremely tough run of games of late. The Red Devils face Manchester City and Chelsea in the next 7 days and on current form, both games would be extremely tough.
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But despite the common notion, Manchester United can still secure a top four spot and here are 3 reasons why.
#3 The unpredictability of the league
This season, the Premier League has been highly unpredictable. Perhaps the only constant has been the relentlessness of the top two. Both Liverpool and Manchester City have been adamant in their pursuit of the top spot, even though they have both stuttered in the build up to the final weeks. So far in the league, Liverpool have lost 1, but drawn 7, while Man City have lost 4 and drawn only 2. None of these were games in which they were expected to lose points, yet that was exactly what happened.
The race for the two remaining champions League spot has been equally intriguing. Even though Tottenham are currently occupying the third place, they have already lost 11 times this season. Arsenal and Chelsea, the other teams competing with United for the Champions League spots, have lost 8 times so far, the same as United. There's no guarantee that they won't lose again.
Tottenham play Brighton, West Ham, Everton and Bournemouth. They also have to worry about two Champions League Semi Finals against Ajax in between. Arsenal have away trips to Wolves, Leicester City and Burnley and a home game against Brighton. They also have Valencia in the Europa League Semi Finals. Chelsea have to play United, Leicester City, Burnley and Watford, and they will also be preparing for Eintracht, whom they face in the Europa League Semi Finals.
As all three compete in Europe, they will inevitably drop points in the league. The unpredictability of the league means that a lot of the lesser opponents will test the resolve of the four teams fighting for the two spots. It also means that United have every chance to leapfrog their opponents for the final two places.
#2 The Perfect Inspiration
Last season, City came to United knowing that a victory would see them win the Premier League. United were expected to lose and went 2 goals behind in the first half. It was then time for a remarkable comeback, as the Red Devils won the game 3-2 and spoiled City's party.
The stakes are higher for both teams this season and what better inspiration do United need than to defeat City to secure a Champions League spot? While it is easier said than done, United under Solskjaer have shown the ability to achieve the impossible. And they will need to summon all their courage as they play Chelsea within 4 days of the City game.
The recent bad run will have galvanized the team. Continued criticism and taunts from opposition fans, players and even managers might work in United's favour in the end. The Red Devils have traditionally played extremely well with their back against the wall and the situation has presented itself again this season.
A week that has games against City and Chelsea could finally see United take a stand. It could be the perfect week of inspiration that drives the Red Devils to put together a fine run of games and secures them a Champions League spot for next season.
#1 Home form under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
United have now lost 3 of their last 5 games in the Premier League. It is a run that has spoilt Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's perfect start to life as the United manager. The United Manager lit up the Premier League since taking charge and has been in blistering form until recently. Solskjaer has so far managed to accumulate 12 wins and 2 draws from his 17 games in charge in the Premier League, yet it is the defeats that have gathered much attention.
But what people tend to forget is that all those losses came away from home. At home in the Premier League, United have been magnificent and undefeated under Solskjaer, with only Liverpool and Burnley managing to leave Old Trafford with a point. This is where the last 4 games in hand get a very interesting angle.
Three of United's last four games are at Old Trafford. These are against Manchester City, Chelsea and Cardiff City. The only game away from Old Trafford is against Huddersfield Town at John Smith's Stadium. As such, United have an unusual advantage going into the final few weeks and it might be the biggest reason why United can still manage a top 4 finish.
