Start of something special

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has left his entire senior squad in Manchester to prepare for next Premier League game against Aston Villa while taking the reserve team with three seniors Axel Tuanzebe, Jesse Lingard and Luke Shaw (none of whom started against Sheffield United) to Kazakhstan to play FC Astana in the Europa League Cup wherein they have already qualified for the next round.

It is a bold move because normally MUFC have had youth players part of every match day squad where as now Solskjaer has taken an entire reserves team to play instead of the main squad. It also shows the ruthlessness of Solskjaer who described the first half performance against Sheffield United "I could have changed 11 players at half time that's so simple apart from the keeper David" at 2:17-2:24. Skeptics have called it as 'Solskjaer throwing the players under the bus' whereas earlier during the bad run of results in April last season Roy Keane said "these are the same players that threw Mourinho under the bus and they will do exactly the same to Ole, leopards don't change their spots" at 0:29-0:36.

Solskjaer does not believe in retribution like the serial winner Jose Mourinho who used to publicly call out and blame individual players making the dressing room toxic. Solskjaer has been impeccable and honest in his interviews maintaining calm under severe pressure and responding to every criticism without making it personal. Solskjaer has saved the first team squad a seven hour long flight to play in severe cold of about -14 degrees and resting them for crucial run-in of fixtures across the league and cup competitions that sees them playing three times in seven days next against Villa, Spurs and City immediately and later six more games before end of December.

Three first team players will be making their debuts: Ethan Laird, Di'Shon Bernard and Dylan Levitt. Lee Grant in goal his first competitive start for MUFC, ahead of Matej Kovar. Axel Tuanzebe will partner impressive Di'Shon Bernard in defense. Ethan Laird back from injury will play at right back. Luke Shaw will be starting his first match since late August. James Garner and Dylan Levitt will anchor the midfield. Tahith Chong, Jesse Lingard the captain, Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood will lead the attack. Seven of squad have never played for first, among them three are confirmed starters. Its a rare start for Chong and Gomes who are yet commit their futures to MUFC.

Not just MUFC players and fans but everyone in sport can take inspiration from the fight back from cancer of Max Taylor who makes this travelling squad to defiantly state "I won't let cancer define me."

This squad will help to assess the depth of talent ahead of January transfer window wherein the performances of Brandon Williams has meant that MUFC will no longer be looking to buy a right back as they had originally planned to do. This will also please the board as Solskjaer will review every member of MUFC squad including the reserves before asking for funds thereby solidifying his claim to fill a gap in the squad. The only concern will be if Astana play physically bulldozing the youngsters and if that results in injuries to any of the reserves.

As I had previously mentioned this match remains the closest competitive match of MUFC to watch by travelling from India. Will it turn out to be as historic as the games against Liverpool in November 1951 of 'Busby Babes' or season opener against Villa of 95 'Fergie's Fledglings' remains to be seen. Those two games were in the context of the league while this might be placed with many cup games which weren't the focus of those campaigns down the years that had first team fringe players mixed with youth. Nonetheless its very difficult to re-collect such an wholesale changes to a entire team made up of mainly youth/reserve players. Post Munich there was 9 forced changes in squad that faced Arsenal in the league and Sheffield Wednesday in FA Cup with Harry Gregg and Bill Foulkes the only two constants, while here entire starting XI is changed and five subs including Lingard, Grant, Tuanzebe, Garner, Greenwood were part of squad that played Sheffield United now face Astana. Whenever Greenwood has played he has scored or assisted that will definitely guarantee goals.

Epoch making in the MUFC tradition, "Solskjaer's Specials."

Draw at Bramall Lane might be a good result as Egan's injury favours United

The very first fixtures of the then newly formed Premier League was played on 15th August, 1992 which had a match between the United's of Sheffield and Manchester that resulted in the first goal scored by Brian Deane a header against Peter Schmeichel ending in 1-2 loss for Sir Alex Ferguson's men in search of winning the elusive League title. Mark 'Sparky' Hughes scored MUFC's first goal of the Premier League era.

The back line in 3-5-2 of Sheffield United: Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack O’Connell have the second best defensive record in the Premier League including five clean sheets, these overlapping centre-backs have taken the league by storm narrowly beaten by Liverpool and Leicester, drawing to Chelsea and Tottenham, and beating Everton and Arsenal. Blades Manager Chris Wilder will wait till the last minute to take a call on John Egan who withdrew at half-time playing for Ireland with a calf-injury, so as to not break this impressive partnership in defense that could tilt the balance of match. Veteran Phil Jagielka back with SUFC, though having all experience from his impressive Everton stint will ideally not want to face Rashford, Martial and James running at him. Dean Henderson on loan from MUFC will have to sit out this game for SUFC.

Manchester United had a good run of games in winning five of last six matches leading up to the international break and look to continue that form away at Bramall Lane in South Yorkshire. They will be without their player of the season so far Scott McTominay who suffered an ankle injury in the win against Bournemouth. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can revert to 3-5-2 to contain the Blades in the first half and change to 4-3-3 in the second half to force a result. Andreas scoring against Bournemouth would certainly enhance his confidence. Fred will need to take up more responsibility in McTominay's absence. Jesse Lingard will look to make an impact as a substitute as he marvels the progress of his fellow MUFC graduate who played alongside him in Oliver Norwood leading the Blades as a regular first team starting place still remains scarce at 26 years of age. Harry Maguire returns to Bramall Lane leading MUFC having originally graduated from the youth academy at Sheffield.

Sheffield United won their 3rd FA Cup in 1915 the final dubbed the 'khaki cup final' played at Old Trafford instead of Wembley due to on-going WWI and beat Chelsea before the famous cup competition was stopped for five years.

Chris Wilder is the holder of League Managers Association's Manager of the year award ahead of Guardiola and Klopp last year speaks volumes of work at Sheffield mixing old school work ethic with modern techniques. Wilder might not leave his boyhood club mid-season even if approached by a top six side. These kind of tough away fixtures against a well organized well drilled side matures the youth much better than playing many games against struggling teams. MUFC can take draw as a good result with Egan's injury further favouring the reds.

With Ole's blueprint starting to work Poch will have to wait longer

Sir Alex Ferguson met Mauricio Pochettino towards the end of 2015-16 campaign in May, 2016 but Manchester United ended up appointing Jose Mourinho instead to succeed Louis van Gaal. That was perhaps due to the presence of Pep Guardiola at City who had been rivals with Jose Mourinho in Spain with Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. Many die hard fans questioned the decision as the football philosophy of MUFC and Jose Mourinho are poles apart, although he remains the most successful manager since retirement of Ferguson with Europa League, League Cup trophies and finishing 2nd their highest position since winning the Premier League in 2012-13.

Pochettino will always be admired for bringing the best out of young players under his charge and adopt a Gegenpressing style to play that's trending atop tactical pyramid of football coaching with Jϋrgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola leading the charge from their German Bundesliga stints where it was initiated by Ralf Rangnick with limited success.

With the turnaround by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer there is no risk to his position at the moment. The lack of depth in midfield and absence of backup striker things can go wrong quickly with a few injuries and rub of green going against, but as demonstrated by the Norwegian that his vision is for the long term and in line with the traditions of this great club where he is a legend from his playing days. If and when MUFC do consider a change of Manager the Argentine Pochettino will no doubt be amongst the short-list based on his excellent work at Tottenham Hotspur. That opportunity looks beyond this 2019-20 season and maybe next. Not winning a single trophy is a lacuna where the likes of Brendan Rodgers takes a lead but the context of taking a mid-table club to be a consistent top four side aided by excellent recruitment team under constrained budget cannot be ignored.

Solskjaer has beaten Chelsea twice and Leicester City once, drew with Liverpool and thereby shown big match temperament but what afflicts the side is to turn up against the mid table opponents especially away from home. Getting a midfielder and/or a striker cover in January transfer window and return from injury of almost nine players will ease the task and continue the upward momentum of MUFC. Two points and seven positions being the difference between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's MUFC and Jose Mourinho's THFC both of whom will be chasing the elusive fourth spot, and that march just got a lot harder with a direct top 6 opponent making managerial recourse. MUFC host Tottenham at Old Trafford on 05-December just two days before the Manchester derby. That game should encourage the World Cup winner Paul Pogba to regain his fitness and form to deliver a world class performance for Ole's reds irrespective of transfer rumours.

On England's 1000th game the best MUFC XI

The squad:
Alex Stepney (GK)
Gary Neville
Gary Pallister
Rio Ferdinand
Roger Byrne
Duncan Edwards
Bryan Robson (C)
David Beckham
Wayne Rooney
Tommy Taylor
Sir Bobby Charlton

Subs: Ray Wood, Phil Neville, Nobby Stiles, Ray Wilkins, Steve Coppell, Teddy Sheringham

England's first, youngest and longest serving team manager was Walter Winterbottom who had a brief spell as a player at MUFC in 1930's. Between 1946 and 1962 he oversaw England participation in all four World Cups wherein the quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Brazil in 1962 was his best result. In 1958 World Cup in Sweden his squad was depleted due to the Munich Air Disaster which robbed him of three first team regulars in Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor and prior to the event were beaten only once in 17 consecutive games. He did pick a young Bobby Charlton but did not play him even for a single match while Pele debuted spectacularly for Brazil being 3 years younger.  During his tenure a selection committee usually picked the squad and his influence was limited mainly as a trainer which he professionally taught and wrote about. Hungary famously beat England at home 6-3 in 1953 and 7-1 away in 1954.

Jack Mew and Alex Stepney won just one cap, Gary Bailey two and Ray Wood and Ben Foster three is the tale of MUFC goal keepers who have represented England. Alex Stepney has easily been the most successful at club level. Steve Bruce is perhaps the most famous MUFC player for never having represented England (Jimmy Greenhoff and Alan Gowling were also denied) being the first double winning captain of MUFC while his partner at centre-half Gary Pallister earned first of 22 caps while still playing for Middlesbrough in the second division. Rio Ferdinand became the youngest player to debut as a centre-half at 19 years 8 days while still playing for West Ham and ended up with 81 caps. Gary Neville holds the record for most caps by a right back at 85 and played with his brother Phil in the same team 31 times; Phil has 59 caps. Bill Foulkes sole cap came against Northern Ireland in 1954 as a right back. Roger Byrne held the record for most consecutive appearances for England with 33 at left back and being the Captain of the famous Busby Babes.

Duncan Edwards became the youngest post-war player to play for England in 1955 at 18 years 183 days against Scotland, in total played 18 times scoring 5 goals including that 'boom-boom' shot against World Champions West Germany. His England captain Billy Wright had this to say "There have been few individual performances to match what he produced in Germany. He tackled like a lion, attacked at every opportunity and topped it all off with cracking goal."

'Captain Marvel' Bryan Robson leads the team as he carried the side on numerous occasion on his own in the 80's, once scoring a goal in just 27 seconds against France in 1982 World Cup. David Beckham peaked as England captain under Sven-Goran Eriksson scoring that crucial free-kick at Old Trafford against Greece to secure the qualification and was rumoured to want away from MUFC when Sir Alex Ferguson reversed his decision to retire as the Swede Eriksson was lined up to succeed. Paul Scholes had lesser impact than either Nobby Stiles or Ray Wilkins. Steve Coppell's impressive career on the wing with 42 caps 7 goals came to an abrupt end at just 28 years when he sustained a knee-injury while playing against Hungary to qualify for 1982 World Cup.

Tommy Taylor had an incredible goal ratio for both MUFC and England, scoring 131 goals in 191 games for club and 16 goals including two hat-tricks in just 19 appearances for country. Alfredo di Stefano called him 'Magnifico' and was seen as a long term replacement for aging Nat Lofthouse. Wayne Rooney beat the all time scoring record long held by Sir Bobby Charlton at 49 goals for more than 45 years but could only score one of his 53 goals in World Cup competition against Uruguay in 2014 and four at the Euro's across three tournaments! George Wall the left winger who was a key player to during the reds first victorious phase in late 1900's decade comes close to cementing that spot but in terms of best MUFC players to represent England have Sir Bobby Charlton at left wing. Charlton's best came against Portugal in the semi-final of the 1966 World Cup and the great 'Der Kaiser' Franz Beckenbauer summed that glorious World Cup as "England beat us in 1966 because Bobby Charlton was just a bit better than me." Teddy Sheringham's best came in two spells on either side of his MUFC tenure, firstly partnering with Alan Shearer to reach the semi-finals of the Euro '96 and then being used as a tactical sub for his intelligent play especially in the 2002 World Cup in Japan; overall scored 11 goals in 51 games.

Viv Anderson was Sir Alex Ferguson's first signing in 1987 and became the first black player to represent England while playing for Nottingham Forest in 1978. Owen Hargreaves who got most of his caps while playing for Bayern Munich before his move to MUFC to help win the 2008 Champions League was in fact born in Canada. Most notable player born outside England was James Princep who was born in India and held twin records of being the youngest player to represent England in 1879 at 17 years 252 days and to play in FA Cup final at 17 years 245 days. He held both records for around 125 years!


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