The month of March has not ended just yet, but there will be no more matches for Manchester United before April comes round. This means the first three months of the year have passsed in the eyes of the Red Devils and before we knew it, we are already done with the first quarter of 2021. So what have we learned so far from Man United?
How have Man United fared until now and what can we hope for before the season ends. Also, is this the route that is expected of United in the next season and how is our trajectory under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looking now?
Here are some of the things we have learned in 2021 so far.
Just Over Half Of Matches Won
There have been 23 matches for Man United in 2021 already across four different competitions. The Devils have won 12 of them, just above 50 per cent, getting eight draws and three losses in the process. All three of the losses came in three different competitions, meaning United’s only league loss in 2021 was to Sheffield United at Old Trafford.
Looking overall, there have not been enough wins for Man United, as this team had the capacity to do much better in certain games. For every win against Manchester City or Liverpool, there was a disappointing draw somewhere, such as those against West Brom or Crystal Palace. Not once did Man United manage to get three wins in a row in all competitions, but after these regular stats, let’s dive a bit deeper.
Premier League – Not Ideal, But Did Not Hurt Much
When we look at United’s form in the league in 2021, we see that there was run of just two wins in eight matches, between late January and early March. There was just one loss in that timeframe too, but there were also four goalless draws, three of them against the Big Six, further proving that this team is still not good enough to regularly do well against the strongest oppositions in the league.
But despite all the failings United have shown, this season’s Premier League has been so chaotic they are still in second place, ahead of Leicester and Chelsea, eight points ahead of the team in fifth place. The league position is suggesting some nice things, but overall context does not show too much of a progress in performances.
League Cup And FA Cup Exits
Man United are out of the domestic cup competitions, after losing to Man City in the semifinal of the League Cup and Leicester in the FA Cup. The latter of the two was a good opportunity to reach the final, as the Devils’ next rivals would have been Southampton. These competitions are rarely those that will have the purpose to ‘make it or break it’ for Solskjaer, but there could have been a nice chance of winning some silverware United desperately need.
Europa League Is The Only Chance
And then there is Europa League, the only competition Man United could win this season. And boy would Solskjaer need it. Man United are set to play Granada in the quarterfinals and after that could play Ajax or Roma. There is a chance of reaching the final again, although it will be far from easy. But United are at a point where they will not want to have another season without a trophy and Solskjaer needs something to show this team is progressing, in order to further get backed by the club.
In conclusion, Man United’s 2021 so far has seen team make some really good results, such as beating both Man City and Liverpool, but it was also filled with ‘same old, same old’ results which continue to show this team is lacking consistency in order to make great things happen. A trophy to be won during the next quarter of the year could be an incredible boost for everyone at Old Trafford.
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