Six games in and six years on, it feels like the real Manchester United are finally here

One could have dubbed this “The Audition”, “The Poch vs. The Ole”, or “Manchester United: The Return”, but in terms of the football, this lived up to what Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United tussles are all about.

Unlike the frantic, almost distant memory of a performance at Old Trafford earlier in the season, United displayed a calm, decisive side that has been akin to the new skin that they currently wear, engrossed in being fearless smiling assassins, matching their opponents stride for stride.

United’s 1-0 victory away to Tottenham was Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s sixth win in six games as United’s caretaker manager. And within the fracas of chance after chance, there was a moment in the second half after Christian Eriksen’s free kick in the 68th minute, once the danger had been averted, Victor Lindelöf pumped the air with tenacity and joy. Showing how much a clean sheet in this game meant to them.

This is what supporters have been yearning for – away from having a clear blueprint of what United are about, the passion being shown is what supporters really cling on to, and although the defensive aspects still need some work, the attacking fluidity plays to the strengths of the players on the pitch.

Rashford’s finish, from Paul Pogba’s accurate pass, was an incisive, destructive one: for all of Tottenham’s progression in keeping up with Liverpool and Manchester City, this may be a loss too far for any title hopes they may have had.

And seeing the tactical flexibility with Jesse Lingard playing through the middle and Rashford off the right at times is worrying in the bigger picture for United. Why is that it has taken almost six years for supporters to feel confident in their team? Over this six-year period, United have had a number of spirited performances against other “Big Six” sides, but there hasn’t been a consistent feeling that the team could be competitive and positive in the way they articulate what they’re trying to do as a collective.

Yet somehow, Solskjær has manufactured an identifiable style of play in six games, which should have David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho hanging their heads in shame.

This could be a true blueprint for United from now on – absolutely devastating and dominant against the lesser teams, and clever counter-attacking play against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool. How supporters would love for the team to be like this in every game, but the reality is that the defensive side of things needs work.

The enjoyment is back, players are smiling again and it’s hard to look at any one of them and say that they aren’t giving it their all. It’s a welcome relief, away from David de Gea’s outstanding second-half showing, that there’s some substance behind the team, as well as Solskjær.

The team is revolving around Pogba’s all-round qualities – most of the good work finds itself going through him, like the conductor of the Solskjær Symphony, and points to a realisation of his importance.

And long may this continue. For too long, it didn’t make sense that a player of his calibre, the driving force behind France’s World Cup victory, was being made to look like a problem child, refusing to leave his crib and crying about everything.  Such is the type of player around in the modern era – occasionally, tough love will bring about a reaction, but in the long-term it becomes discouraging for a player to have a manager consistently on your case for the wrong reasons.

With Solskjær, the same can’t be said, and for all the talk of viruses, his approach to the United job has brought about an infectious, yet positive, twist to a situation that had doom and gloom hovering above it.

And in this season of irrelevancy, United have found their way into a very relevant position, sitting level on points with Arsenal and six points behind Chelsea with winnable fixtures on the horizon. For now, the real Manchester United seems to be showing us how they mean to go on.