Man Utd finally find their groove and kick-start an unlikely title challenge

Some things are worth waiting for. 

Manchester United's Premier League home form this season had seen them score only three goals across six Old Trafford fixtures - and win only once in the process - but  they went some way towards correcting that record against Leeds United on Sunday.

At the seventh time of asking, they rediscovered their attacking mojo.

Inside the first 20 minutes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side scored as many goals as they had in all of their previous six home league games combined. They ended up with six in total. 

Before Sunday, United had managed just one goal from open play on their own turf this term. They had four here by half-time.

Solskjaer had joked pre-match that perhaps he needed to burst a balloon to wake his players up at kick-off after continual slow starts. For the first time in a long time they were up for it from the opening whistle. 

They were quick out of the blocks instead of floundering, as has been the case in the past few months.  Unlikely hero Scott McTominay became the first player in Premier League history to score two goals in the opening three minutes of a game.

This was a Manchester United performance from the good days of last season, when they secured a third-placed league finish and the Champions League football that goes along with it. 

Every venture forward looked dangerous for Leeds; Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are now playing with a precision and a threat which had been lacking this season. United were scintillating in attack and could have scored far more than they managed in a 6-2 victory.

No wonder Solskjaer cut a relaxed figure in the dugout. 

There was good reason for his beaming smile; he likes it when a plan comes together. His side are up to third - just five points off league leaders Liverpool with a game in hand. If you had mentioned Manchester United and a title challenge in the same sentence just a few weeks ago, you’d have been laughed out of the room. But it's not looking so ridiculous now. 

Only last week, Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham were being tipped to be Liverpool's closest challengers while Solskjaer was criticised for United’s early Champions League exit. Now, United are ahead of Spurs and with a game in hand over the Londoners too. It’s a funny season but they look, on Sunday’s evidence, like they are finally finding their groove.

Leeds were back at Old Trafford in the Premier League for the first time since 2004 and Marcelo Bielsa was returning to the scene of one of his greatest tactical triumphs, the 2012 Europa League win with Athletic Club. But there was to be no repeat success as Solskjaer got his game plan spot on, ensuring a miserable trip back up the M62 for United’s fierce Yorkshire rivals.

The inclusion of Daniel James, making his first league start since the Chelsea match in October, was inspired. The Welshman caused the visitors problems all afternoon with his runs in behind and vindicated his selection with a polished display. He was rewarded with a second-half goal – United’s fifth of the game. Victor Lindelof was also on target while Bruno Fernandes hit two of his own. 

There are undoubtedly things to work on for United. There will be question marks over why they conceded again from a set-piece in the first half while David de Gea was called into action on a number of occasions as Leeds found their way through. 

Nonetheless, things are slowly clicking into place. Solskjaer has repeatedly spoken about a long-term approach to his project and that’s why the board have continued to back him; Sunday's win marked the beginning of his third year in the hot seat.

Plenty were calling for his head after their slow start to the season but he has shown again that it would be short-sighted to make rash decisions on any change in the managerial position. 

Bigger tests await in the next couple of weeks but for now, at least, his team have given him plenty to smile about.