It is somewhat easy to forget that Manchester United went out with a bang the weekend before the World Cup break when you consider that Cristiano Ronaldo has dominated the headlines from a Manchester United perspective this week.
The game-winning goal scored by Alejandro Garnacho in the 93rd minute of United's match against Fulham at Craven Cottage on the evening of last Sunday ensured that the team would go into the break within striking distance of the top four teams. They are currently in fifth place and are only three points away from a spot in the prestigious Champions League.
It means that they will be able to begin the new season on December 27 against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford with confidence coursing through their veins and the belief that they can finish in the top four of the standings for this campaign. This is something that they have been striving for all season long. Even though United have hit a few speed bumps so far in this season, the positives far outweigh the negatives by a significant margin.
United are a completely different animal compared to what they were during the previous season as a result of the new culture and mindset that has been implemented by manager Erik ten Hag. This is true despite the fact that they did crumble in a dramatic manner against both Brentford and Manchester City. Nevertheless, every group, and particularly one that is still in the midst of a period of change, is destined to have a less-than-stellar day at the office every once in a while.
However, Ten Hag has been responsible for a significantly greater number of positive than negative actions thus far, which indicates that United are a club that is once again moving in the right direction, even if only slowly. The group is gradually becoming more familiar with Ten Hag's requirements and the style of play that he envisions for his squad.
However, Ten Hag's success can be measured not only in terms of the group as a whole but also in terms of the numerous individuals who have flourished as a result of the management style and coaching methods that he employs. He has instilled a new belief in the minds of several players, who have since flourished in helping United, as a collective, make sufficient progress in a very short space of time. He has also instilled this belief in the minds of several players.
The likes of Diogo Dalot, who missed last Sunday's 2-1 win over Fulham because he was suspended, Raphael Varane, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Garnacho, albeit all in different ways, have all kicked-on this season, with each player taking their own games to a new level. Dalot missed the game because he was suspended.
Varane has played like the defender he was at Real Madrid; Rashford has been revitalized; Martial has threatened to rekindle his career again; and Garnacho has been born. Dalot has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet. Rashford has been revitalized. Varane has performed like the defender he was at Real Madrid. Ten Hag's management and approach are entirely to blame for all of this.
Ten Hag has a knack for improving most players he gets the opportunity to work with, at least in the opinion of summer signing Antony, and this has been one of the more surprising aspects of this season, such as Dalot's importance and Martial's impressive form when he was healthy. During the time that the Brazilian was at Ajax with Ten Hag, Ten Hag was often praised by the Brazilian for his ability to improve the play of virtually any player he was given the opportunity to work with.
During his time in the Netherlands, Antony gave an interview to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf in which he stated that "every player under his guidance becomes a better footballer through his training." Since I've been here, he's been very supportive and has a lot of faith in what I'm capable of accomplishing.
Antony was not kidding. Ten Hag, as well as his wider team of coaching staff, deserves credit for the job he has done so far. The improvement in several individuals so far this season has been startling, and as a result, Ten Hag deserves credit for the job he has done so far.
The fact that United are continuing to improve as a team under Ten Hag's tutelage is one of the most encouraging signs of the Dutchman's premiership, but the progress that several individuals have already made is another. In choosing Ten Hag to guide them through the next chapter of their history, United made the best possible decision.
