Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Cardiff vs Manchester United Premier League 2018-19

Solskjaer starts with Man Utd’s most potent Premier League performance since Ferguson

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has opened his Manchester United reign with the club’s most productive attacking performance in the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Red Devils have endured a rather humbling fall from grace since an iconic manager slipped into retirement back in 2013.

David Moyes struggled to fill the shoes of a fellow Scot, while Louis van Gaal won few admirers with his brand of football.

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Jose Mourinho briefly threatened to return former glories to Old Trafford, as he landed three trophies in his debut campaign, but the Portuguese soon lost his Midas touch.

He was relieved of his managerial duties earlier this week, with Solskjaer appointed in his place on an interim basis through to the end of the season.

The Norwegian saw his tenure get off to a dream start on Saturday as United swept to a 5-1 victory over Cardiff .

Marcus Rashford set the tone with an opening goal inside three minutes , and the Red Devils did not look back from there.

Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, who bagged a brace, also got in on the act against the Bluebirds.

Not since Ferguson’s final game in charge over five years ago have United been so prolific in the final third, with Solskjaer laying down an impressive early marker as he seeks to follow in the footsteps of a coach he tasted Treble success under in 1999.

United and Solskjaer still have plenty of work to do if they are to salvage their season, but they could not have got a new era off to a better start.

They remain sixth in the Premier League table for now, but belief and positivity is flooding back.

An eight-point gap will need to be bridged if they are to force their way back into the top four, but that challenge now looks slightly less daunting.

This is, however, not the first time that a United boss has burst out of the blocks.

In fact, four of the five men to have taken the reins since Ferguson left have enjoyed goal-laden openings.

Moyes saw United hit four on his bow, Mourinho three, Ryan Giggs four during a brief spell as caretaker and Solskjaer now has five to his name.

The Red Devils will be looking to prove that their performance in South Wales was no flash in the pan, while building further momentum, when they play host to Huddersfield on Boxing Day.

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