Manchester United consolidated the team’s grip on a top four place with a win over Bournemouth.
While there is a long way to go with only 17 of 38 matches played, the Red Devils are in a good position, sitting fourth, level on points with third placed Newcastle – with a game in hand.
Up next in the league are matches against first and second placed Arsenal and Manchester City, after two cup fixtures.
United’s players are feeling positive, and Luke Shaw says he can feel the atmosphere at Old Trafford, with fans also feeling optimistic.
Shaw told BBC Sport: “The strides we are taking are going in the right direction that we want.
“There is still a lot to improve on but things are looking really good and positive and we feel like the belief and confidence is back, and you can feel it around the place, not just with the players and the staff but you can feel it in the stadium and around the fans.
“Hopefully they are enjoying it at the moment but I feel there is a lot more to come and hopefully we can keep putting smiles on people’s faces.”
Real optimism at United
The team’s performances are going a long way to putting smiles back on fans’ faces.
And there is a real feeling that United have finally got the right manager with Erik ten Hag, a coach who knows how to get the best out of the players, and has a firm grip of the squad.
United are in a good position in the league and in the cup competitions, and this is despite there still being holes in the squad to fix.
An extra reason to be positive is expected news of a United takeover early in 2023, with the Glazers preparing to sell up
Shaw followed up his comments with a short message on Instagram which read: “Start as we mean to go on.”
The players are clearly determined to make the most of this fresh start, and there is so much more to come, with plenty left in reserve last night too.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
