Ralf Rangnick might not be the mid-season savior that Manchester United had hoped he would be, but he could very well be the key to resolving the club's problems in the long run if he continues to perform effectively.

Since taking over as interim manager at Old Trafford in November, the interim manager has struggled to walk the walk — though he has certainly been able to talk the talk and provide an honest assessment of numerous difficulties facing the club.

Despite a promising start to his tenure, United have rapidly reverted to their old ways under the seasoned German, and even his profound analytical thinking has failed to elicit the immediate response necessary to salvage a season that has already been ruined.

An important factor in Manchester United's struggles this season is the mentality of the team. They have routinely thrown away leads, the most recent of which came against Norwich at the weekend. Despite not having the protection of Scott McTominay or Fred at their disposal, Manchester United went all-in with their midfield line-up, with Paul Pogba playing in a deeper role and Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard ahead of him.

A great passer of the ball such as Paul Pogba at the base of the midfield certainly assisted United in their ability to break lines and threaten the Norwich side, though their lack of defensive discipline would ultimately be their downfall as the bottom side drew level after going a goal behind in the first half. United would have surrendered even more points in their pursuit of a top-four finish if it hadn't been for David de Gea's outstanding shot-stopping ability in goal and Cristiano Ronaldo's lethal finishing on the other end of the field.

In light of the injury news, Rangnick had intended to rest Nemanja Matic for the journey to Anfield to face Liverpool on Tuesday night. However, with the scores tied, the Serbian was called upon to help his team regain control of the game. It is safe to say that it was a huge success.

He came to United's rescue less than 24 hours after revealing he would be leaving the club at the end of this season, with a cool and disciplined display. The 33-year-old provided the team with an attacking midfield presence, while also moving the ball around in an effortless manner.

A Matic masterclass will be needed if Manchester United are to pull off a surprise victory at Anfield on Tuesday.

In an interview prior of the match against Liverpool, interim manager Rangnick was asked why his team had conceded so many leads this season, and once again he provided an unusual response, pointing to the absence of defensive specialists in his midfield.

The coach told Sky Sports: "We have a lot of offensive guys who should ordinarily be playing for us." "However, we didn't have the same amount of defensive players, such as midfielders, at our disposal. The McTominay brothers, Fred and Scott, have gone missing. It has been an issue in the past for us since we don't have many other defensive midfielders, and that is one of the reasons why we couldn't see those games through when we were leading by a goal or two."

There is no point in having a lot of attacking talent on the pitch if they are not getting the support they need, and United have struggled to find the right balance all season long without a reliable defensive midfielder.

United's first objective in the summer transfer window is to sign a central midfielder, and they are already in talks with Leeds about a possible deal for Kalvin Phillips - but there is reason to believe they will actually need two given the departures of Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba.

With former Ajax coach Erik ten Hag in charge, there is speculation that Donny van de Beek will play a far more significant part in the team's success. In the meanwhile, the emphasis will once again be on combining exceptional talent with a cohesive structure that allows United to have a tight hold on games.

In a summer in which United will hand power over to a new manager, the chosen candidate will then have to figure out how to transfer that control to the field of play.