All eyes were on Cardiff last Saturday as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led Manchester United into the post-Jose Mourinho era.

It was always going to go one of two ways - more of the same or vindication for those saying that Mourinho was holding the United team back.

Marcus Rashford showed the first signs of the latter with his goal after three minutes and United were 3-1 to the good at halftime.

That turned into 5-1 by the final whistle, kicking off Solskjaer's reign in style.

In fact, it was the first time United managed to bag five in a game since Sir Alex Ferguson's final game in charge - a sure-fire sign that there was change afoot.

We'll see just what happens on Boxing Day when Solskjaer leads his team out at Old Trafford for the first time against Huddersfield Town.

Naturally, there are plenty of predictions and expectation in the wake of the win over Cardiff.

One of those is from Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, who had some very strong words for United as he offered an alternative take on the 5-1 win.

"The change at Man United is not down to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer," he begun his prediction. "It is the players and it is a joke. You watch them on Saturday, and the difference was pathetic, a joke, embarrassing.

"I would be ashamed. All of a sudden Solskjaer is 100 times better than Jose Mourinho as a manager? Come on - I do not like it.

"The players are all running around now, so I am going to go for a 4-0 win here.

"They are grown-ups and they should have been able to go out and express themselves like at Valencia when they had nothing to play for. It is up to the players in the end."

Well, that's certainly one way to look at things.

Regardless of why the difference in performance happened, United looked like a different team against Cardiff and you'll struggle to convince the fans that things aren't positive.

Ask the fans and they're probably not quite as bothered over the reason as Merson clearly is.