Two Manchester United away games could help turn a good season into a great one

The home straight of the most unusual football season in memory is almost upon us. This is a campaign that has been split into thirds. We've had the opening salvo before the World Cup, the heart of the year between late December and this international break and now all that awaits is the sprint finish.

The good news for Manchester United is that they have been getting better. When the season paused for the World Cup in mid-November they had won 14 out of their first 21 games. After losing to Brighton and Brentford in Erik ten Hag's first two matches in charge, it was a respectable recovery.

But what has happened between the season resuming and this March break has set the tone for the Dutchman's first season. Harry Maguire might be something of a forgotten club captain, having started only 12 times this season, but when he spoke to reporters after the Carabao Cup final success, he summed the narrative arc of this season up pretty well.

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"I think coming back from the World Cup we have started to play really well," he said. "Before the World Cup we had great fight and spirit but we didn’t really put in the actions that the manager wanted, but since the World Cup we did that."

It feels like an excellent summation. United have won 19 of their 25 games between the season resuming after the World Cup and this international break. In that run, they won the Carabao Cup, reached the FA Cup semi-final and beat Barcelona and Real Betis in the Europa League. They also went from sixth to third in the Premier League.

It's a run that has already marked the season out as a success. A first trophy in six years is back at Old Trafford. But it does feel