When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho in December, the top four was the last thing on anyone’s mind.
Steady the ship and restore some pride, those were the objectives. Possibly have a run in the FA Cup, too, but not qualify for the Champions League.
Saturday’s victory over Fulham, Solskjaer’s eighth in his nine Premier League games so far, lifted United into the top four for the first time since the opening weekend.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United future will depend on a top four finish
Now, they are the favourites to stay there — and finishing above Arsenal and Chelsea has to be his goal.
Once again, Arsenal are struggling on the road. They have not strengthened an error-prone defence that is yet to keep a clean sheet in an away game.
Chelsea — United’s other rivals for fourth place — are woefully inconsistent, losing 2-0 to a poor Arsenal side, 4-0 at Bournemouth and now 6-0 at Manchester City. Fail to finish above both these teams and Solskjaer cannot get the job full-time.
Some will argue that he has already done enough. He arrived with United 11 points adrift of Chelsea in fourth place and only one above seventh-placed Wolves. United’s richly talented players were consumed by fear and that showed in their performances.
After they drew Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16, I wrote in Sportsmail that for the first time, United were the team everyone wanted to face. With Mourinho in the dugout, I argued, they had next to no chance.
Paul Pogba's performances sum up the change in mood at United under Solskjaer
Now, I cannot imagine Thomas Tuchel is looking forward to Tuesday's trip to Old Trafford — not least because Neymar and possibly Edinson Cavani will be absent.
Their stars are playing with a new-found freedom and confidence. United fans I speak to are excited about watching their team again. The aura of invincibility is returning to Old Trafford.
Paul Pogba sums up the change in mood. He is scoring the goals, supplying the assists and making the passes at key moments. On current form, he is the best midfielder in the Premier League.
I cannot wait for his midfield battle with Marco Verratti on Tuesday. How will he combat Pogba’s athleticism?
United have an excellent chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Even if they go further, there would be a feeling of disappointment at Old Trafford if they did not qualify for Europe’s elite competition next season.
United still have four of their five main rivals to play before the end of the season, starting with Liverpool at home a week on Sunday.
Slip up in those fixtures, lose ground on the top four and
