MANCHESTER UNITED achieved a little bit of history as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s away day specialists won on the road again.
They became the first side ever to score two or more in ten consecutive away games in the Premier League.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must figure out how to get get Man Utd playing from the first whistleCredit: AFP
And no team has ever won six straight games on their travels after going behind in each of them – until now.
It’s been great to watch for United fans from their armchairs – in stark contrast to what their team have produced at Old Trafford.
“Going forward, they are electric,” said former United striker Michael Owen after goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial saw them in front by half-time.
And there are echoes of some of Sir Alex Ferguson’s swash-buckling old sides in the way they keep backing themselves whenever they fall behind.
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But Solskjaer’s men cannot keep doing it if they are to be genuine title contenders.
Right now, in theory at least, you have to say they are.
If United win their game in hand they will be second – just two points behind leaders Liverpool.
Yet what happened in Leipzig last week should serve as a reminder that top sides don’t throw leads away so easily.
Marcus Rashford scored twice to help Man Utd come from behind to pinch all three points at Bramall Lane
The Germans raced into a 3-0 lead and hung on – just about – to send Solskjaer’s men tumbling out of the Champions League.
And in truth, their stiffest domestic away games are all still to come.
United have gone behind and then come back to win at West Ham, Everton, Newcastle, Brighton, Southampton and now Sheffield United this season.
All of them good wins in the circumstances – but none of them are going to be challenging for the title this year.
Their next two on their travels in the league are at Leicester and Liverpool – so now things will start to get serious.
They cannot keep giving gifts away like the one Dean Henderson presented to his old club inside the first five minutes here.
Because it’s difficult to imagine Jurgen Klopp’s men being as generous as the Blades and West Ham have been in the last two United away fixtures.
Solskjaer believes these next couple of weeks will tell him whether his team are ready to challenge for the title this season.
If they had been able to get their home form right, he might already know that they are.
It’s hard to believe this is the same side who performed so meekly in the dreary goalless draw against Manchester City at the weekend.
A first league meeting in 16 years with bitter rivals Leeds would be a perfect time to put the record straight.
Man Utd boss Solskjaer thanks Sheffield United for developing Dean Henderson into top talent
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
