As I walk through the bustling streets of Manchester today, there is an unusual buzz about town.
Usually the chat in pubs, greasy spoons and on the trams is about City’s latest victory or who should be the next manager of United.
This week is different. United fans are starting to come out of their shells with a sense of happiness, relief and guarded belief.
It started after United beat Sunderland at Old Trafford. My brother and his friends all went to the match and said that United had turned things round and that United are finally clicking in all areas.
I reminded him that Sunderland were a newly promoted team and United should always be beating sides recently promoted from the Campionship.
He told me that was true but there was something in the energy, formation and performance of the team that gave United fans hope ahead of the remainder of the season as they try to get back into Europe and, more importantly, ahead of their match at Anfield against arch rivals Liverpool.
I feared for optimistic fans such as my brother’s mates and genuinely thought that United would either lose heavily to Liverpool or, if they played their hearts out, snatch a lucky draw.
I was totally wrong. Despite Liverpool having plenty of chances, United beat Liverpool 2-1 and had plenty of other chances to score themselves.
They inflicted Liverpool’s fourth defeat in four matched on their bitter rivals and the reds half of the city are absolutely buzzing.
Man United’s under-pressure manager, Ruben Amorim, described the victory as his biggest win since he took over as manager at Old Trafford and that his team played the game with a great spirit.
My brother was correct about his analysis of the Sunderland victory as United went on to win back-to-back Premier League matches for the very first time under Amorim.
Is this a real turning point for United or a just a mere flash in the pan? Possibly.
However, with United not having midweek European matches this season, Amorim and his coaching staff have plenty of time to rest the players as well as to work them hard on the training pitch to guide his team closer towards the top four and gain entry to next season’s Champions League.
What an achievement that would be.