Next season we find out if Ole can push on for summit
ON the face of it, this was a pretty strange way to try to chase down a Premier League title that was technically still there to be won. A raft of changes from the weekend and a performance that smelled just a little bit of disinterest. But for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team, this was never about winning the League. This was a season that began with a home defeat by Crystal Palace, a setback soon followed by a 6-1 dismantling by Tottenham. From that point, the direction of travel has been largely north. United have made progress under Solskjaer more impressively than many of us ever thought possible and that was always the ambition. This was a disappointing end to their nominal pursuit of new champions Manchester City. But it was understandable. Liverpool visit Old Trafford tomorrow and United have an opportunity to all but end their rivals’ Champions League qualification hopes. That would be sweet. Then, later this month, they play Villarreal in the final of the Europa League. So, yes, this has been a season of significant steps forward by United. They are not yet a team ready to compete properly for the title, especially given the improvements we can expect to see in Chelsea and Liverpool next year. But they are closer. Solskjaer has built his club a platform from which they can push forward and he is the first United manager to have done that since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. United will have improvement to make if they want to get there. They have been relatively fortunate with injuries this season. Solskjaer has been able to field a settled back four all campaign and rely on the creativity of Bruno Fernandes throughout. United also need to be better and — strange as it sounds — braver against the big teams. Under Solskjaer, United have lacked some personality at times. Performances at Anfield and the Emirates this season were desperately short on confidence against
Liverpool and Arsenal teams who were there to be beaten. Both games ended 0-0. In the glory years of this football club, they certainly would not have. Equally, there have been glimpses of a team on the rise. The second-half performance to win at Tottenham last month was superb, as was the win at City. Strangely, the new champions seem to bring the best out of Solskjaer’s team. Meanwhile, the retaining of Edinson Cavani well in advance of next season may indicate some overdue joinedup thinking at executive level now Darren Fletcher and John Murtough have been placed in control of strategic matters. Cavani, the centre forward, has been terrific to watch. A personal highlight was his performance in a League Cup win at Everton just before Christmas. The Uruguyan was magnificent that night and will be a sight to relish in front of the paying public at Old Trafford next season. That is when we will see the real worth of this team. United need additions this summer. Another central defender, for sure, and maybe another wide player. If they get that bit right, Solskjaer must believe his team can win a title. It is then we will discover whether this United team has the strength of character to play for a whole nine months. Solskjaer has been calm during some periods of pressure this season and, when it has been needed, he has shown a little authority, too. The Norwegian has always been harder than he looks. Having arrived as an emergency replacement for Jose Mourinho in December 2018, the 48-year-old (left) has travelled some distance since. This season we crown one of the best champion teams in recent memory and United are only 10 points behind them. That must tell us something.