The last two seasons have been a rollercoaster for Manchester United, certainly with more downs than ups in the last few months. The biggest change in recent days has been the firing of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his replacement with interim manager Ralf Rangnick.

Before Solskjaer’s firing, it would have felt like a waste of money to bet on United doing anything impressive with what’s left of the season.

They seemed demoralised and appeared to have lost any real desire to play and do well. With Rangnick at the helm and three wins under his belt already, that’s changing.

Betting on the outcome of a game now feels a little different. If you’re still not fully convinced, it might be smart to consider cash out betting. Bookmakers that allow cash out betting make it possible for you to withdraw your money before the winner or loser is decided.

You won’t win as much but you won’t lose as much, either. This online betting guide can help you find the best sites in the UK that allows cash out betting. That way you can place your faith in Rangnick and his team while being realistic about the time it takes to make big changes to a team.

Versus the Young Boys

The 8 December game against Young Boys was evidence of the slow move towards positive changes that fans have been hoping for. It also showed how far the team still has to go to be competitive for the title next season.

Rangnick’s decision to rest his usual starting players worked in the sense that it allowed him to see what his youngest players are capable of. Mason Greenwood rewarded that trust in his abilities by scoring United’s only goal of the night.

However, Rangnick’s strategydidn’t work in some aspects – some of these younger players need more guidance before being able to cope with that kind of pressure without most of the old hands on the field.

For instance, Donny van de Beek’s nerves got the better of him and he lost control of the ball, resulting in a Young Boys goal.

Setting the rules

Rangnick has been quick to make his presence felt in the United clubhouse. Part of that is placing stricter controls on his players. This has been felt most notably in his choice to reverse Solskjaer’s decision to allow players to rehab away from the club.

He recalled Paul Pogba from his thigh injury rehab in Dubai this week. It makes sense for a manager to want to be able to directly oversee how his players are recovering. However, it is also likely to cause some tensions, as players may feel like they are losing some of their freedom and autonomy.

Whether or not this stricter approach will pay off remains to be seen. It could make his players more attentive and responsive but it could also cause resentment. If the team continues to win or draw their matches it is likely that they will begin to accept the wisdom of his decisions.

Focus on the team as a whole

One of Rangnick’s best assets is his ability to make a team good as a whole, rather than focusing on having talented individuals showing off their brilliance. It is a style that celebrates the collective skills of the team.

The one potential snag to this working at Manchester United is that all of the players have to buy in to this style of play. There isn’t room for the massive egos and showboating that many big-name football stars love.

Ronaldo is one of the biggest potential threats to the success of Rangnick’s system. Ronaldo is used to being the star. He has spent most of his career being lauded and applauded, and it will be difficult for him to take a backseat and focus more on the collective.

Part of this strategy of focusing on the collective has been to give more playing time to players who haven’t had as much this past season. This means that players like Fred and Greenwood really get a chance to show what they’re capable of doing.

Facing Brighton

It’s likely that Manchester United will beat Brighton but it’ll be a close match. Despite their struggles under Solskjaer, United does have a roster of incredibly talented players and a deep bench capable of stepping up when needed.

Their current success may be down to Rangnick’s changes, though it could also be the result of a more positive mindset. It is easy for frustration and a series of terrible losses to utterly demoralise a team and make them play worse than they are capable of.

In addition, United will have home advantage. Facing the Red Devils at Old Trafford is never an easy thing to do – facing them there when they haven’t lost a match in a month is even more intimidating.

The majority of Brighton’s recent matches have ended in a low scoring draw. There is always a chance that they will be able to hold Manchester United to a similar performance. They also just might be hungry enough for a win to unsettle United’s new confidence.

Whatever happens on 18 December, it will be intriguing to watch how Rangnick’s style of coaching influences the team. Will he have enough time as interim manager to shape them into a cohesive powerhouse? Or will the egos and energies of the individual players prove too much?