Suddenly, United came out of the danger zone and showed a lot of dynamism, winning four Premier League games in a row, including a 2-1 win in Luton Town last Sunday.
In the recent match against West Ham United, youngsters Rasmus Hojlen, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobe Manu sat together and smiled, seemingly symbolising a new, more optimistic vibe at Old Trafford. Manchester United are now showing renewed belief, energy, intensity and resilience, and their winning streak means they are just three points off Tottenham Hotspur in fifth. Considering England's points in European competitions, it looks set to qualify for the Champions League with the top five teams this season.
At the moment, the pressure on Erik ten Hag has eased, and despite handing in a trophy (League Cup) and a top-four finish last season, he has been facing months of doubts and awkward questions about his suitability for the job.
Rumours have it that some players "don't like him", but he took a brave tough stance on the disciplinary issues of Marcus Rashford and Jaden Sancho, and now it looks like he won the battle. The team seemed to be sleepwalking in a few games in the autumn but now look full of energy, as reflected in their exciting 4-3 win at Wolves and two tough away games at Aston Villa and Luton. In their most recent game, they defended against the home side's high-speed style and a flurry of dangerous crosses.
Manchester United were almost certain to be beaten two months ago after a 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth, a heavy 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich, and a last-from-bottom Champions League group stage finish. At that time, only Sheffield United, who were bottom of the table, scored fewer goals. Manchester United's start to the season has been its worst in 60 years, with a surprising view of their strikers failing to score a single goal at Old Trafford just before Christmas.
Firstly, they look to have a chance to score every time they attack, with Hojlen failing to score in his first 14 Premier League games but has become the youngest player to score in six consecutive top-flight games in the modern English Premier League. Quick, deft and able to spin around defenders to either score goals or create chances for team-mates, the confident Danish striker now looks set to be a hot target.
Similarly, Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho frightened defenders with his speed, skill and eye for goals. His barb at Everton remains the most breathtaking moment of the season so far.
Then there's Marcus Rashford, who has clearly returned to the team and scored for Wolves and, to be fair, has been told by Ten Hag and his team-mates that further missteps will not be tolerated. This season, he has scored just five goals in 23 games, still well below his 17 in the league last season, but he has played his part in the attacking trident.
The Red Devils' resurgence can also be traced back to 18-year-old Manu's role in defensive midfield. He made an excellent debut in the 3-0 win against Everton and acted like a player 10 years older. He looks like an England star who will inevitably go on the future.
Andre Onana's goalkeeping has improved after a shaky start, Diogo Dalot has excelled at full-back, Harry Maguire has returned from 'Football Siberia' as an anchor at the back again, and Luke Shaw and Casemiro have added more experience and leadership to the team. (There is one exception: the latter has nine yellow cards in his last 11 games, which makes him a bit of a burden.) ）
Despite his occasional irritability, club captain Bruno Fernandes remains an irreplaceable player, although Ten Hag wants him to get back to his form, as he did in his first season with the club. (This season, he has only three goals and five assists in the league.) ）
Critics of Manchester United may have some reason to believe that this team is still far from the level of the current elite (Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal), who have relied on luck to win their last games or two. They are far from mature, but at least they have finally taken a step in the right direction.
Manchester United fan and billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has taken over the club's football department, heralding a hurricane that will sweep through the corridors of the famous club. While United are still making big money, they have fallen behind their main rivals in some clumsy transfer deals, such as paying more than £80 million for the disappointed Antony and £60 million for Mason Mount, who has lost his way at Chelsea and has been injured for much of the season.
Manchester United have poached a new chief executive (Omar Bellada) from Manchester City and are hoping to poach the acclaimed Dan Ashworth from Newcastle as their new sporting director, responsible for the cutting-edge aspects of recruitment. There are also rumours that United are planning to build a 'Wembley of the North' as a new stadium to replace Old Trafford.
How much investment might be made in a first-team squad could be limited by fiscal fairness and profitability and sustainability rules, but it would be a surprise if Ratcliffe and his team didn't make some major deals in the market. But to do so, they must be able to offer potential signings the opportunity to play in the Champions League.
Will Sir Jim's winds of change blow away Ten Hag and bring in a new manager? Maybe not as things stand, but the former Ajax boss is not appointed by the new regime and United will have to play Liverpool and Arsenal at home and Manchester City away.
It will be fascinating to see if their resurgence can pass such a tough test, but signs of recovery that once looked like it was going to be a nightmare season are definitely starting to emerge.