Ralf Rangnick made three changes to Manchester United after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked

There was optimism building when it was announced that Manchester United were set to appoint Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis in November. The German had little recent coaching experience, yet it was hard not to be intrigued by his profile in the game.

Rangnick was the mastermind behind RB Leipzig's meteoric rise through Germany's football pyramid. That was hardly a fairy-tale success considering the club's financial muscle, but the manner in which they rose to prominence was what captured the imagination of hopeful United supporters. Rangnick's gegenpressing philosophy was the image in which the club was moulded and built.

He seemed to be an expert tactician and that made him the perfect antidote to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. United had been tactically neglected under Solskjaer and the Norwegian never hid his preference for man-management and motivation. Rangnick was appointed to stabilise the club, to bring cohesion on the pitch and, most importantly of all, secure Champions League football.

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There have been 124 days since Solskjaer was sacked and there are nine games of the Premier League season remaining. United have been eliminated from each cup competition and their hopes of playing Champions League football next term are getting slimmer.

Arsenal are four points ahead of United and they have one game in hand to play, meaning they're now heavy favourites to finish the top four. When United signed Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer, this scenario seemed unthinkable.

United were six points adrift of the top four when Solskjaer was sacked and not much has changed in that regard. They just have fewer games remaining — nine