Allen Hamilton
This May marks the 15th anniversary of Manchester United's Treble, which saw Sir Alex Ferguson's men hold off all opponents en route to Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League glory, capped by that dramatic fightback against Bayern Munich in Barcelona. Manchester United have rebuilt since then, but the current campaign has particularly reinforced the sense that times have changed and the era of invincibility is long gone.
David Moyes has been placed in a challenging position, trying to fill Ferguson's boots while juggling a fading squad. Manchester United's loss to Chelsea last weekend surely ends any lingering hopes of surging back into the title race and there is no chance of the current group conquering Europe. Even finishing in the top four now looks like an uphill battle.
What has become crystal clear is that this is a new era for the red half of Manchester. Red Devils supporters will receive further confirmation of this on Tuesday when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, their beloved super sub and the hero of the Champions League final comeback in 1999, returns to Old Trafford as Cardiff City boss. Though he is manager of the enemy for 90 minutes, the Norwegian can expect a rapturous ovation.
Solskjaer played a pivotal role in Manchester United's success during an 11-year career at the club, developing into one of the most clinical finishers in English football and showing remarkable professionalism to embrace a substitute's role.
The Norwegian will need all of that patience and knowledge to navigate Cardiff away from the foot of the table. Following the drama of the perplexing Vincent Tan-Malky Mackay dispute, the Bluebirds' form has dipped alarmingly, with just six points from their last 12 games including no league wins in their last six Premier League fixtures.
Much of the turbulence is of the club's own making and Solskjaer must now make his mark against this backdrop. The early signs were good after a resilient FA Cup victory at Newcastle, but back-to-back league defeats to West Ham and Manchester City have dampened the enthusiasm in the Welsh capital.
Of course, Solskjaer is still getting to know his players – their strengths and weaknesses – and has not even been in the job for a month yet. As Manchester United's form continues to be patchy, travelling to Old Trafford is no longer the daunting trip that it was in the striker's heyday. Teams seemingly arrive with confidence that they can expose the home side's defensive flaws and leave with at least a share of the spoils – West Brom, Tottenham, Newcastle and Everton have all won at Old Trafford in the Premier League this season. Solskjaer simply promised that his players would be raring to go.
"We are not daunted by the challenge, we are relishing it", he explained. "When you go to places like the Etihad and Old Trafford you are going to be tested against some of the best players in the world. But we have got our own standards to adhere to. You need to ride your luck.
"But bigger surprises have happened in the world of football, so you have to go up there with the mindset of having a go and taking something from the game. We want to be a top ten club so you have got to go to these places and take something out of the game."
Before targeting a top ten finish, Cardiff need to scramble away from the relegation zone. They showed during the early stages of the campaign that they have the quality and character to survive in the top flight. Ex-Manchester United man Fraizer Campbell leads the line with great energy, Jordon Mutch has developed into a goalscoring threat from midfield and Gary Medel brings a physical edge. Once Solskjaer repairs the dented morale in the dressing room, look for Cardiff's fortunes to improve.
The road to safety becomes considerably easier in the weeks ahead. After the trip to Old Trafford, Solskjaer's men host Norwich, Aston Villa and Hull in February, along with a Welsh derby at Swansea. Those four games should provide some breathing room.
As for Manchester United, it could be a long while before the glory years return to Old Trafford, but seeing Solskjaer back on the touchline might just bring back some uplifting memories.
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