Six wins on the trot- an analysis

A 1-1 draw at home to Crystal Palace was followed by a humiliating 4-1 defeat at the Emirates. The trend was reversed against a struggling Hull City at home with a 3-0 defeat. But, it had turned out to be another false dawn as Stoke City drew 2-2 at Old Trafford, and few days later United were embarrassed 2-0 at the St Mary’s. And today, an under pressure and underperforming Liverpool came to Old Trafford and took all 3 points in a thrilling 3-2 win.

Yes, in a parallel universe, where United did not have the luck they are having this season, and where their goalkeeper is not named David De Gea, this could have been United’s story for the past month. Instead, it is 6 wins on the trot and 26 out of possible 33 points in a run that included home matches against Chelsea and Liverpool, and away trips to Man City, Arsenal and Southampton. 5 points clear of the 5^th place team as I write this, Van Gaal is well and truly moving towards achieving his bare minimum objective.

Luck is a very thin line wire between survival and desire. And not many people can keep their balance on it. But for now, Van Gaal is keeping his. He is one stubborn man, and despite United looking extremely uncomfortable in his 3 defender- 2 wing back formation, he still sticks to it. And after defeating Arsenal, Liverpool and Southampton, all with 3 at the back, he might have a point. But, the defence still looks shaky and in every match, David De Gea has had to make at least 3-4 crucial saves. Saying that United has been winning in spite of the formation and tactics, and not because of them, will not be a completely wrong statement.

De Gea looks like a goalkeeper from a different planet altogether. With his height and agility, he was always a very good shot stopper. But this season, he has been much more composed. And not only his saves, but his distribution has also been excellent so far. If United can thwart Madrid’s advances, then they have at least one part of the pitch sorted out for the next 10 years at least.

Another reason for this run is the return of Carrick. One of the most underrated players in England, he has slotted in beautifully, be it at the centre of a 3 man defence, or just in front of the defence. Whenever he has the ball, he seems to have that extra second, which enables him to make the correct pass every time. Yes, he may not make defence splitting passes in the mould of Scholes, but he has been absolutely brilliant in maintaining possession and controlling the tempo of the game. With Fellaini, despite his occasional sloppiness, providing physicality alongside Carrick, United have looked much more composed than they had when Blind and Herrera were playing together.

The performance of 2 wingers completely written off at the end of last season has also been a major plus. Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia, both playing either as fullbacks or wingbacks, have looked much better than they ever had under Moyes. This is where credit must be given to Van Gaal. Both of them have improved defensively over the course of this winning run. And going forward, they have been a threat as United’s first 2 goals against Liverpool would testify. Rafael and Luke Shaw will take over whenever they are back, but till then, this is one area where Van Gaal will be relatively happy about.

Persie seems to be close to his best once again

But, the most important factor which has made this run possible has been the absolutely lethal finishing from the United strikers- Rooney and Van Persie. After a somewhat indifferent start to the season, Persie single handedly won United the match against Southampton( De Gea is a common factor in all the wins). And with 4 goals from the last 4, this looks like the Persie of 2012-13 and not 2013-14. Rooney has also been superb. His goals against Arsenal and Liverpool have been defining. Named captain of club and country at the beginning of the season, he seems every bit worth it.

Saying all that, United have not played anywhere close to their potential. But worryingly for their opponents, so far they did not need to. And with Di Maria set to come back soon and no European football to concentrate on, United can actually get a lot better. With a favorable set of fixtures during the holiday season, come January and  a top 4 spot may not be the only prize Van Gaal and United aim for.