Manchester United's Newly Discovered Attacking Freedom Could Save Their Season

Six goals in two games has Manchester United fans dreaming of a brighter short-term future than looked likely after the last time the Red Devils faced Stoke. After the 2-0 defeat on Boxing Day, all hope seemed lost for any success this season.

The run of four defeats that ended with that game—and in particular the manner of those losses—had drained the joy out of watching the side.

There have been bumpy moments since, particularly the drab, lifeless 1-0 loss to Southampton at Old Trafford. However, in the two games since—seemingly out of nowhere—United's attack has clicked.

The three goals scored against Derby could easily have been written off as a team playing opposition well below their level. The fact that they followed up with a 3-0 home win over Mark Hughes' Stoke is potentially quite significant.

As with the run of defeats, it is not so much the fact that United won as the way they played that has changed the tone of the discussion around the club. Against Derby there was a verve to United's passing that was given potency by an in-form Wayne Rooney.

Against Stoke, that verve combined with some stellar counter-attacking and the recurring star role Anthony Martial's played this season.

The scoring started when Cameron Borthwick-Jackson got the first of what will presumably end up being a decent number of Manchester United assists. It was an all-Manchester affair as he found Jesse Lingard for United's first opening-half goal at Old Trafford since September.

Another quickly followed—a result of the incisive counter-attacking combination of Michael Carrick's passing, Juan Mata's quick thinking and quick feet, Rooney's knack for a killer long-range ball and Martial's absolutely outstanding quality.

"

Anthony Martial celebrates.

From the stands.  pic.twitter.com/mzlUJzSOHT

— Soccer St. (@SoccerSt_) February 2, 2016"

In the second half Rooney added the icing on the cake, finishing a Martial cross for his seventh goal in seven games. It was Martial's third assist in two games—he and Rooney seem to be getting the best out of each other at the moment.

Understanding where the change has come from does not seem complicated. There have been a couple of tactical tweaks on Louis van Gaal's part. Mata did not put in a truly stellar performance against either Derby or Stoke but having him at No. 10 nonetheless has seen a huge increase in United's attacking fluency as a unit.

Lingard said of United's approach against Derby, per the club's website: "We started on the front foot; we played with freedom and I think we excited the fans. We have to press teams in most games now, put them on the back foot and force mistakes, then we can get the second ball and start playing football."

Rooney's take on United's style of play tallied with Lingard's, as he told ManUtd.com:

"

It was obviously a better performance than last week’s game [against Southampton] but the manager gave us a lot of freedom to go and play and I think you can see the difference in the team. You could see we were enjoying it, scoring some good goals and thoroughly deserved to win. 

"

Freedom, excitement and enjoyment have hardly been on the agenda during United players' discussions with the press for much of the season. And it was easy to assume that a return to Old Trafford and Premier League opposition would see a reversion to the conservative. Instead, United's players again found some fun.

Van Gaal was happy with Martial's strike and the buildup to it, per ManUtd.com. United's fans, for the time being, are happy. The attack is back; the team is set up to get the best out of them again.

Interestingly, the 45.7 per cent possession United had in this one, per WhoScored.com, was the lowest percentage they have had in the league at Old Trafford this season.

That might be an anathema to Van Gaal, but it was unquestionably the Red Devils' best display at home. If United can keep this up, the top four will once again be well within their reach.