Man U vs. Southampton
Venue: Old Trafford
Kick off: 4PM
Manchester United will be aiming to continue their forward momentum under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when they welcome Premier League strugglers Southampton to Old Trafford this afternoon.
The Red Devils have won 12 of their 15 games since Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in December and are right in the mix of things for a top-four finish.
Speaking back in early December, a fortnight before he was sacked by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, Mourinho claimed that United required ‘a minor miracle’ if they were to finish in the top four.
It seems that all was actually needed for United to be considered among the division’s elite once more was a new man to guide them forward, as Solskjaer has collected 29 points from a possible 33 to lift his side into second place.
A home draw with bitter rivals Liverpool last weekend allowed Arsenal to pounce, with the Gunners overtaking United in the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot, but the Red Devils are just a point worse off and travel to the Emirates Stadium in a little over a week’s time – a ground they have already won at during Solskjaer’s tenure.
Even a point at home to league leaders Liverpool has to be considered a positive outcome for the Red Devils, having lost three players to injury in the first half – four if you include Marcus Rashford, who could barely run after being clattered by Jordan Henderson – keeping them ticking along in their pursuit of a top-four finish.
The pressure was back on in midweek for the trip to Crystal Palace, a test they passed with flying colours as Romelu Lukaku struck twice to end his barren run in front of goal and Ashley Young added a third as United prevailed 3-1 in the capital.
Even without eight first-team stars, Solskjaer still managed to get the best out of his squad and the interim manager is now the overwhelming favourite to land the job on a permanent basis. United are still in the Champions League and FA Cup, but there is a sense that finishing above Arsenal and Chelsea in fourth will be enough to make the decision a formality.
No matter what way you look at it, Solskjaer has worked – to use that phrase from Mourinho – a minor miracle at Old Trafford. United have won at least five more Premier League points than any other side (29) since the iconic striker was appointed a week before Christmas, enough to suggest that they could even be ready to challenge for the title again next term with one or two additions.
Challenging Liverpool and Manchester City at the summit is out of the question over the remaining two-and-a-half months of the campaign, but Solskjaer and his players still have plenty to aim for. There is the small matter of the Champions League last-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain next week, before trips to Arsenal in the Premier League and Wolverhampton Wanderers for a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
United are certainly not lacking momentum ahead of this defining period in their campaign, and three more points on Saturday will set them up nicely for what could be a memorable conclusion to the season.
Man U possible XI: De Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, Pereira, McTominay, Pogba, Alexis, Lukaku, Rashford.
Southampton possible XI: Gunn, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Valery, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Bertrand, Armstrong, Redmond.
