Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has inspired revival of 'never say die' attitude at Man Utd
By Mitch Wilks
'It's not over 'till the fat lady sings' is a phrase that Manchester United fans were all too used during the incredible 26-year reign of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Quite simply, you could never write off a Ferguson side. Part of what made him and his squads so brilliant was the ever present feeling that the Red Devils could always nick a win, even if things weren't going their way.
And while they weren't invincible towards the end - fans don't need reminding of that 6-1 thumping against City or Sergio Aguero's last-ditch, title winning goal in 2012 - it was an attitude that was always there, but vanished swiftly with his retirement.
In the years since, United have floundered into a side bereft of an identity or genuine leadership, and haven't had a manager in place who's been able to get the best out of their squad. When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - a man whose only previous Premier League managerial experience was seeing Cardiff relegated in 2014 - was tasked with replacing Jose Mourinho, things felt seriously desperate.
It was a massive gamble, but it's also one that is continually paying off, albeit with some bumps along the way.
Since taking charge, Solskjaer has injected some much-needed life back into a United side that was bogged down by players who weren't good enough, those who weren't at the club for the right reasons and those that needed an extra hand to take the next step. He's not perfect, but he's taken the club a long way since December 2018 in what has been their most progressive period since Ferguson's retirement.
The first change was another shift in identity. United tossed and turned between the outdated tactics of Louis van Gaal to the all out defensive tactics of Mourinho, and whatever it was that David Moyes wanted to try and do again. Solskjaer's first steps have been to make the side exciting again; fearless and ruthless in attack, always looking capable of scoring a goal. In doing so, it's getting the best out of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.
The change in identity couldn't happen without new players, though. Solskjaer has been most successful out of those who have tried to clear out the deadwood and bring in players to find success as a result. Gone are the wages of Alexis Sanchez, while Romelu Lukaku, Chris Smalling, Marouane Fellaini and plenty of others have also seen the exit door since his arrival.
It's an overused cliché to bang on about an 'identity' but that's exactly what the Norwegian has restored. Arguably the strongest area of his game is his man management, and managing to get key players on side - like Paul Pogba - has gone a long way in getting the whole squad to buy into a philosophy and finally play for the badge.
It's this shift in mentality which is what is helping the Red Devils progress as they are. Sure, signings like Bruno Fernandes are also key to the success, but he again fits the bill in what Solskjaer looks for in a United player; hungry, authoritative and excellent in attack. It's falling into place this season and it's why United find themselves top of the Premier League at the halfway stage, capitalising on a campaign where their rivals aren't at their strongest.
Victory against Fulham was the club's 17th consecutive Premier League away fixture without defeat, equalling a record set by Ferguson's United in their 1998/99 treble winning season. The 2-1 win also made it seven away games from 10 where the Red Devils have come back from behind to win - a Premier League record.
While there is an element of concern to a stat like that - nobody wants to chase a game, and being in control is always the ideal scenario - it shows just how much resilience and belief there is among the squad, for the first time in years.
United suddenly look capable of turning games on their head at any moment, and winning when the chips are down. While their performance at Craven Cottage was by no means a bad one, to take wins from games where you don't perform particularly great is always a positive and something Solskjaer's side have been doing.
By no means are they the finished article, nor have they confirmed themselves as favourites to lift the Premier League come May, but they're making serious strides towards that for the first time in forever with Solskjaer at the helm. United are finally progressing, and while the next steps are vital, it's finally becoming a joy for fans to watch them once again.
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