Erik ten Hag has turned two Manchester United weaknesses into their greatest strengths

Exactly 12 months ago today Manchester United registered their final away win of the 2021/22 season, beating Leeds United 4-2 at Elland Road.

It was a victory that kept them fourth in the table, albeit a whopping 17 points behind leaders Manchester City at the summit. They won just three more matches before the curtain fell on a forgettable campaign at Selhurst Park on May 22.

Twelve months on from that rain-soaked victory in West Yorkshire, United's fortunes and the mood around the whole club could not possibly be any different. Not only did Sunday's 3-0 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford significantly tighten their grip on a top-four spot, but it also moved them to within five points of league leaders Arsenal and just three points behind City in second.

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Though some supporters are still hesitant about getting involved in title chatter, the reality is that Erik ten Hag's men are in the title race, even if they are outsiders. They are now closer to Arsenal at the summit than they are to Tottenham Hotspur, who leapfrogged Newcastle United in the table on Sunday, in fourth.

As convincing as the scoreline looked on Sunday afternoon, United, certainly in the first half, had to work hard for all three points. David de Gea was twice called into action, producing two outstanding saves to deny both Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho, ahead of Marcus Rashford opening the scoring.

After the break, however, the Reds, inspired by Jadon Sancho's introduction from the bench, had a much more composed look about themselves, dominating the game and looking as though they would score every time they got in and around the Leicester penalty area. Once Rashford netted