Ralf Rangnick knows Manchester United have turned corner despite poor form

Manchester United haven't experienced the best return to action over the course of the past week. Since the winter break ended, the club have drawn 1-1 against both Middlesbrough and Burnley.

Those are far from the type of results that are demanded by supporters at Old Trafford but despite the disappointment, there is a silver lining attached to recent performances.

When Ralf Rangnick first took charge in November, he stressed the need for United to begin controlling matches. "The major target for me is to bring balance into the team," he said at the time. "My approach is to bring more balance and more control.”

The Red Devils are still learning under Rangnick, but the German has remained positive when speaking about the team's development. "I think we have played well in the last couple of weeks," he said recently, and there is evidence to support his claims despite some poor results.

Over the course of United's last two matches against Middlesbrough and Burnley, Rangnick's men accumulated a total of 52 shots. On the defensive side of the game, they allowed just 14.

More often that not, those figures would deliver victories. Finishing has proved to be problematic, and that is an element Rangnick cannot influence from the sidelines.

Speaking on the back of Bruno Fernandes' high-profile miss against Middlesbrough, Rangnick said: "The chance that Bruno had, if he had 10 chances like that in a game, he would score nine of them."

Before the winter break, United faced West Ham and the story was largely similar. The Manchester outfit mustered 18 attempts on goal and allowed the Hammers to generate just six.

The numbers in question suggest that United are quietly gaining control over matches. They are different to those posted