Having lost 2-1 to Brighton and 4-0 Brentford in their opening two matches of the season, the drastic improvements that Manchester United have made in recent months have come as somewhat of a surprise to many people.
The Reds made the worst possible start to life under new manager Erik ten Hag, but since the nightmare beginning to the campaign, United have been incredibly impressive. As well as being the only side in England still competing on all four fronts, Ten Hag's men have quietly recorded 15 clean sheets in 28 games so far this season.
As a result, United are just behind La Liga outfit Barcelona and Premier League rivals Newcastle United across all of Europe. The Magpies have registered 16 clean sheets under Eddie Howe, with Xavi's Barca equalling them with their 1-0 win over Girona on Saturday, but the fact that the Reds are trailing them both by just one shows the impact Ten Hag has had since his arrival.
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While United have conceded 25 goals in the Premier League this season, six of those came in the 6-3 derby defeat to Manchester City in October, and four against Brentford in the early stages of the campaign. The Reds have looked much improved defensively this term, and the statistics show it. MEN Sport looked at four reasons why the team has picked up 15 clean sheets in 28 games...
De Gea's delight
David de Gea is always going to divide the United fanbase. Some supporters love him, others believe that the club need to replace him with a goalkeeper more confident with the ball at his feet. However, he has, to date, enjoyed a strong campaign and has played an important role in the side's defensive improvements.
He was shaky in the defeat to Brentford and has made one or two errors since. Despite this, Ten Hag has backed the shot-stopper and he is repaying the faith. The Spaniard has made several big saves already this season and while he is never going to be able to play like Ederson or Alisson, his shot-stopping ability is second-to-none.
The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of the campaign and while the club has the option to extend his deal, it remains to be seen if they will. He recently moved into the top ten appearance makers and has been at the club since 2011, so the consistency between the sticks is always going to help.
He has been an ever-present in every single match, barring the Carabao Cup, this season - and in order to keep clean sheets, your goalkeeper has to perform and make important saves. With De Gea having recorded 15 clean sheets, he deserves praise for the role he has played so far.
Calm like Casemiro
The Brazilian midfielder is exactly the sort of player that United have been missing for several years. Since his summer arrival from Real Madrid, Casemiro has impressed in pretty much every single game that he has played in. Admittedly, he took a bit of time to settle, but since becoming a consistent starter, he has not looked back.
As well as doing an exceptional job protecting the Reds' defenders, the 30-year-old has scored twice and contributed five assists already this season. He won the club's Player of the Month award for October and continues to be lauded by pundits and former players for the impact he has had at Old Trafford.
His importance to Ten Hag's side was demonstrated by his absence in the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal, with the midfielder missing through suspension after picking up a fifth yellow card against Crystal Palace. Considering he is a five-time Champions League winner, it isn't much of a surprise how impressive he has been, though.
Regardless of which defenders start in front of him, he seems to thrive. Whether it's Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof or Harry Maguire at centre-back, Casemiro delivers.
Shaw he can
Both Martinez and Varane deserve a lot of praise for how well they have both performed this season, but a special mention must go to left-back Luke Shaw. The England international lost his place to Tyrell Malacia at the start of the campaign, but since regaining it, he has looked even better.
With Martinez and Argentina triumphing at the World Cup in Qatar, the centre-back missed the first few matches back after the break in the campaign. In his absence, Ten Hag opted to play Shaw alongside Varane, despite club captain Maguire being available for selection. He played in that role when United defeated City earlier this month - keeping Erling Haaland quiet.
In recent weeks, the 27-year-old has returned to left-back and has continued to perform at a high level. His ability to get up and down the wing has been important in how United want to play, and he has even contributed with a goal and two assists.
Shaw has come under criticism from some Reds supporters in recent seasons, but this campaign, he has demonstrated exactly why he is his country's first-choice left-back. The defender has been an integral part of United's defensive improvements and he - like his teammates - deserves praise for that.
Ten Hag's tweaks
The Dutch coach arrived at Old Trafford under pressure to turn things around, and so far, he is making positive steps towards doing exactly that. At Ajax, his team were known for their free-flowing football and ability to win the ball back in good areas of the pitch - and United fans are starting to see signs of that more frequently now.
While Ten Hag is keen for his players to express themselves on the field, he also understands the importance of being solid defensively in all of their matches, but especially in the Premier League. He has made a few tweaks as the campaign has gone on, and the emergence of Shaw as an option at centre-back, for example, shows he is open to changing things.
Evidently, the manager has not been on the pitch for United's 15 clean sheets this season, but the work that he and his coaches do on the training pitch is evident. The fact that Aaron Wan-Bissaka - who previously appeared surplus to requirement - has been so impressive in recent weeks is party down to the belief Ten Hag has instilled in the player.
As Newcastle are showing, if you can keep clean sheets, you have a great chance of winning the majority of matches you play. For United, and Ten Hag, it is vital that they continue to be difficult to beat.
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