Erik ten Hag is reigniting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's plan for Manchester United forwards

Despite what his many critics said, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had a grand plan for Manchester United. He just didn't get to see it through to its conclusion.

Whether Solskjaer had all the managerial skills at his disposal to carry out the grand plan to return United to the top of English football is now a moot point. He probably didn't, for all the good intentions and positive things he did in three years at Old Trafford.

But that doesn't mean his new, long-term successor, Erik ten Hag can take a blowtorch to Solskjaer's blueprint, nor ignore the sage words of advice on individual players that came from the Norwegian. Ten Hag's remit is to develop and enhance the United of Solskjaer, not simply rip it up and start again.

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Ten Hag is already showing he understands this nuance and that, rather than listen to many reactionary supporters on social media — who want a revolution — he's showing he's the right man for a United evolution instead.

This is particularly evident in Ten Hag's approach to United's frontline, which was patently faltering last season under Solskjaer and then Ralf Rangnick. Both men were the victims of some misfortune, in the case of Edinson Cavani's injuries and Jadon Sancho's adaptation period into English football. Mason Greenwood was also suspended indefinitely.

Okay, perhaps two of the three aforementioned situations could have been planned for. But with Cristiano Ronaldo's signing not proving quite the panacea some thought it would be, and other players out of form, the forward department at Old Trafford was in tatters by the end of the campaign.

United failed to score in their final two league games of the season, both away