Manchester United have won all four games since Ole Gunnar Solskajaer took over the team on an interim basis, but how much of it was due to a much easier run of fixtures? Or perhaps the turnaround is really more due to the Solskjaer revitalization and reinvigoration?
We’ll learn a lot this weekend when United visit Wembley Stadium to take on Tottenham Hotspur. In the words of Outkast, from their song Knowing, “From this point on it only gets rougher!” Solskjaer has made it known repeatedly that he wants the job full time, and if he consistently win big games like this, he should get his opportunity.
The 45-year-old Norwegian has said that right now, style matters more than results. Because, as the man known as the baby-faced assassin during his playing days pointed out, results are not something you can dictate, but your approach is. The most exciting and compelling component of the Solskjaer era thus far has been the attacking approach.
He’s unshackled the team, and Pogba seems to be Pogba again. Solskjaer seems to believe he can get Alexis Sanchez right again too. And Romelu Lukaku has credited his surge in form to a chat he had with his interim boss.
The Bank MUFC Starting XI Prediction at Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3)
Attack: Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard
Midfielders: Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera
Defenders: Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Ashley Young
Goalkeeper: David de Gea
Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur FYIs
Kickoff: Sunday, January 13, 4:30 PM local, Wembley Stadium
Google Result Probability: Tottenham win 47%, Draw 27%, Manchester United win 26%
Injury Report for both sides: go to this link
Tottenham Hotspur starting XI prediction: go to this link
Odds via Bet 365: Tottenham win 21/20, Draw 5/2, Manchester United 15/1
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Press Conference Video:
Prediction: Tottenham 3, United 3
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.