Man Utd ‘Expect To Win Against Anyone’
- ESPN’s Manchester United Correspondent Rob Dawson says Sunday’s opponents have had a ‘dramatic turnaround’ under Ole Gunnar Solskjær
- The Red Devils are yet to lose under the Norwegian manager, winning eight of their nine games
- Dawson was speaking to LCFC Radio’s Matchday Live programme, which starts at 1:05pm GMT on Sunday following the hour-long Pre-Match Pint
Since the legendary former Red Devils striker arrived at Old Trafford, they have won eight and drawn one of their nine outings in all competitions, only dropping points against Burnley last time out.
The 20-time English champions are now only two points off fourth position in the Premier League table and Dawson says they will be anticipating another victory at King Power Stadium.
“It has been a quite dramatic turnaround at the end of José Mourinho’s reign,” he told LCFC Radio’s Matchday Live. “The mood was quite down and there was a feeling among fans that United could have been beaten by anyone really.
“Fans weren’t sure what to expect every time they turned up. Under [Ole Gunnar] Solskjær, United are going into games against anyone expecting to win, and win quite comfortably. The mood has lifted and the football is better.
“The atmosphere around the training ground and around the stadium on matchdays has improved. Everything that could have gone right for Ole Gunnar Solskjær has, really.
“In the last few days of José Mourinho’s reign, the top four seemed out of reach, and now it seems that it’s very much back in play again. This is the type of game that they have to win if they’re going to finish in the top four.”
Dawson admits that while City have a brilliant record against the Premier League’s elite sides this term, Solskjær’s men remain favourites to emerge from the Sunday afternoon clash as winners.
He continued: “If the game had been played two-and-a-half months ago, United probably would have headed to Leicester thinking that there was a very good chance that they are going to get beaten. That was just because of the mood around the Club, really.
“United never knew what type of performance or result to expect. There will still be a recognition that going to Leicester is a very tough game, especially as they’ve done so well against the top sides recently.
“But they will go to Leicester thinking it’s a game that they’re going to win, and they probably should win.”
Leicester are likely to come up against a quartet of in-form stars, with Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford scoring a combined 16 goals in all competitions since Solskjær was appointed.
Dawson added: “It will be no surprise to Leicester fans about the players they probably need to be looking out for. The thing that Solskjær has managed to do is get the best out of his best players.
“Paul Pogba looks like a different player to the one he was two-and-a-half months ago. He’s getting forward more, creating more goals and scoring more goals.
“Marcus Rashford has played down the middle quite a lot, whereas he was playing out wide under Mourinho. He’s been on the best scoring run of his career. Others obvious ones include Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard.”