Some Perspective Needed As Manchester United’s Premier League Title Challenge Fades

Even as Manchester United sat atop the Premier League
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there was a sense they would be dragged back into the chasing pack sooner rather than later. A 13-game unbeaten run had seen Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side surge to the summit of the standings, but this was a title challenge that always looked to be built on sand.

This was proven as United suffered a shock home defeat to Sheffield United on Wednesday, with Solskjaer’s side losing further ground in the title race with a largely insipid 0-0 draw away to Arsenal on Sunday. Manchester City now hold a three-point advantage (with a game in-hand) over their rivals as the Premier League’s pace-setters.

Some perspective, however, is required when assessing Manchester United’s 2020/21 season so far. While the hysteria of a potential title challenge had some fans, and some experts, reassessing their objectives for the campaign, the Old Trafford outfit was never meant to be in true contention at the top of the Premier League.

After all, this is a side that finished 33 points off last season’s champions, Liverpool. They also finished 15 points adrift of second place Manchester City, who were adjudged to have endured an underwhelming campaign. The 2020/21 season was therefore about getting closer to these two rivals for United.

And this is something they have so far done. Solskjaer’s side are in fact ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League while City are still within touching distance. On their current trajectory, Manchester Unites are on course to finish eight points better off this season than last. Progress has been achieved, at least up until this point.

Solskjaer still requires two or three first team players to bridge the gap between the position Manchester United find themselves in now and the level required to win a Premier League title. This has been apparent in their recent performances and was underlined in the display produced against Arsenal on Sunday.

Primarily, United need a right winger to give their team some balance. Solskjaer’s side is lopsided towards the left due to the personnel at the Norwegian’s disposal. Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford have been used on the right, but neither are naturally suited to this role and frequently cut inside, only making United’s attacking play more congested. This ploy might work if Solskjaer had a full back willing to overlap and provide width. Instead, he has the defensive-minded Aaron Wan-Bissaka. 

A new defensive midfielder and central defender would also improve Manchester United as a team unit. Fred and Scott McTominay have been used as a central midfield platform by Solskjaer this season, but this is a role that should be performed by one exceptional figure who can cover the same ground on his own.

United’s summer business gave them some additional squad depth, which has benefited them in recent weeks, but it did little to improve Solskjaer’s starting lineup. There was much excitement around the capture of Donny van de Beek from Ajax, but the Dutch midfielder has started just twice in the Premier League this season.

Alex Telles has played well when he has been given the opportunity, but the Brazilian has played second fiddle to Luke Shaw. Edinson Cavani has scored some important goals and has given United the sort of penalty box cutting edge they were previously lacking, but at 33 years old he is incapable of playing every minute of every match. At this stage of his career, he is a rotation option.

Taking Manchester United back to the top of the English game was always meant to be a multi-year project. Two years into that project and Solskjaer is undeniably taking the club in the right direction. This shouldn’t be masked just because he and his players are unlikely to reach the top this season.