Breakdown of all Man Utd goals scored in the 2020/21 season

As for comparisons with 2006/07, there are a few to be made. United had some flourishing players in that side, some of whom had already reached their peak and others who needed another year or two to find it. Elsewhere in the side, there were some senior statesman – such as Solskjaer, like Cavani – and a couple of players who needed fresh faces alongside them to improve even more. Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally skyrocketed the next season to 42 goals when Carlos Tevez was brought in to form a part of a fearsome front three.

United came close to a Treble in that season only to fall near the end in both the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. We built on it the next season, adapted the approach to big games and finished as winners of the Premier League and Champions League.

Solskjaer and his coaching staff will be fully aware that this United side has not achieved what the 2006/07 side did yet, but may take some lessons from the steps taken in the summer of 2007 to improve the side under Sir Alex Ferguson.