‘Ralfie Time’ Rangnick has United headed in the right direction

The Red Devils aren’t playing barnstorming football under their interim manager, who took over when they were seventh. But they are getting the job done and look well placed to secure a Champions League spot for next season

Few things delight the Manchester United fan-base as much as an injury-time winner, especially when rival fans dispute the goal. So it was no surprise that Marcus Rashford’s debatable stoppage-time strike against West Ham last weekend sparked wild celebrations at Old Trafford, with several supporters and at least one expert viewing the moment as a turning point in what has been another frustrating season for the Red Devils. For a club used to winning the championship in the first two decades of the Premier League era, United has had very little to celebrate ever since Alex Ferguson stepped away from the game; understandably, a win that brought to mind a phenomenon the manager was associated with — ‘Fergie Time’ — had fans smiling again.

United interim coach Ralf Rangnick had started Ronaldo at centre-forward with 19-year-old Anthony Elanga and Mason Greenwood to his left and right, but the combination produced very little. Rashford was brought on for Elanga in the 62nd minute. Twenty minutes later, Rangnick rolled the dice by throwing on Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial and switching from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-4 formation. The move paid off when all four combined for the winner in the third minute of the three minutes added on. Ronaldo fed Martial who slipped it outside to Cavani, who looked close to offside before he hit a cross to Rashford who scored from point-blank range. VAR looked back at the goal and there was a second roar around Old Trafford as it ruled Cavani had been onside.

“Quite rightly the boys were celebrating, they know what a massive win this was,” said Rangnick. “Those are the best kind of wins when the other team has no time to come back. I am very pleased the three subs prepared the goal and scored the goal.” Asked if ‘Fergie Time’ was now ‘Ralfie Time’, Rangnick said: “I don’t know how long ‘Fergie Time’ was. Was that the last five minutes? I wouldn’t mind if that happened.”