NFL
By: Edwin Duodu
The dream is still alive for Manchester United. After a recent 1-1 draw against Young Boys, the Red Devils are into the Round of 16. There, Atletico Madrid will be waiting. With what’s been an underwhelming season to date, the team has found a way to win its last three games in the Premier League, which should continue to boost the morale around the fanbase. It’ll be a while until United faces off with Madrid, but building consistency until then is vital.
Ralf Rangnick enjoyed a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in his debut as the new manager for the club. He now takes on the task of trying to finish in a top-four spot this season and proving that there is still quality within his club when they play Champions League matches. Lucky for Rangnick, this is a goal that is very much attainable. His team currently sits 5th in the league and one point off of 4th place behind West Ham United. West Ham is firing on all cylinders this season, but anything is possible, and there’s still plenty of time to make a push.
Unfortunately, confidence was hard with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer previously at the club. The team looked shaky in games and failed to assert themselves. It’s fair to wonder where this team would’ve been if not for the clutch goal-scoring of Cristiano Ronaldo to complicate matters. Ronaldo played significant parts in scoring late goals to gift United wins or last-second draws. His recent penalty against Norwich City is an example of this, and it overshadowed what a poor performance from the team was. Still, a win is a win.
The club is going through a transitionary period that may immediately halt their hopes of playing more cohesively as a unit. However, there is hope that this squad can make the best out of a season that has been one to forget. They scraped their way into the Round of 16, and they scraped back into a top-four fight. It’s now up to the manager to instill a game plan that temporarily suits the immense talent he has at his disposal.
This plan will also have time to take shape, as United has an upcoming schedule facing Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, and Burnley. None of these matchups are going to be easy wins. However, only Brentford sits in the league’s top half, which should instill some hope among fans.
Manchester United has a chance to save their season. The Premier League is open for anyone to assert themselves and make noise. United may be out of the title race as it stands but should be counted among the contenders for the top four. Regarding the Champions League, we’ve seen teams take their opportunity to show the world why their club deserves respect.
It can be done even if it may not seem like it. The fairytale story was created by Chelsea last season, where they fired their manager midway through the season. Thomas Tuchel was appointed as the new manager, and he led them to a Champions League win. Manchester United could write that same story with the talented players that the team has. Only time will tell if they rise to the challenge.
