Solskjaer effect will have Arsenal waiting anxiously for Man United

That is unsurprising. It is just that if informed this time last year that Arsenal would make a planned, summertime appointment, while United would panic in December and thrust in a caretaker from Molde, the money would have been on the Gunners being the more stable club.

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It has not worked out like that and, while Arsenal were unfortunate not win last weekend against Tottenham at Wembley, Thursday night’s 3-1 defeat at Rennes in the Europa League has struck like a tremor.

Arsenal’s players were verbally abused by a few of their own fans at the airport, while Emery was laughed at by Hatem Ben Arfa during the game – Ben Arfa played under the Spaniard, infrequently, at Paris Saint Germain two seasons ago.

“I did see the same Emery, as agitated as ever,” Ben Arfa said. “I looked over at him a few times and that made me laugh a little. He hasn’t changed.”

Mockery is never a sign of progress at a club.

In the form of their chant – “attack, attack, attack” – United fans indulged in a bit of that during the Jose Mourinho era – and before that with Louis van Gaal and David Moyes. Part of the contrast Solskjaer has delivered is that attacking is back among United’s priorities.

It is a tactic again, not merely a chant, and while the whole idea of a club’s DNA may be overplayed, since Matt Busby, United have been known for front-foot, free-flowing football. That is why so much of the sideways passing under Van Gaal jarred.

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Solskjaer and his coaching staff – plus Sir Alex Ferguson – have understood this.

There has been luck – but for a VAR decision United would be out of the Champions League. Yet the manner of United’s performance would have endured. Having looked second best by a distance in the first leg at Old Trafford, Solskjaer organised an impressive counter and recovery.

What would also have been recalled are the string of victories in the Premier League since December and a stirring FA Cup win at Arsenal in January. Other things, such as the quiet removal of Marouane Fellaini and what he came to represent – unfortunately for him – have tweaked the atmosphere.

It is now "when" rather than "if" Solskjaer receives the job permanently. The players have lined up to say how much they love him, winning results have taken pressure off the hierarchy and United’s major shareholders will hardly have overlooked the club’s shares rising 20 per cent since Christmas.

When it is announced, even if Mauricio Pochettino’s agents request an urgent meeting, it will be presented as a considered verdict. Yet it will not be the consequence of a year-long research of the available and best options, it will be because of results sparked by Solskjaer’s personality and style and the uplift created around Old Trafford. It smells like team spirit.

That will be unsatisfactory to those who see modern football through analytics first, but clubs operate on several levels.

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One is the fanbase: United’s is global but there is a Mancunian core that sing the songs, sets the tone and it is with Solskjaer. Then there is the boardroom. There they might argue that they thought long and hard about the three previous post-Ferguson appointments and look where it got them. There was logic to Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho.

There was also a degree of initial scepticism about each coach’s suitability, though. It was to be justified as some most disappointing seasons unfolded. Then United inserted a former player-hero temporarily and boom.

It will give Arsenal something to chew on – it will do the same in many boardrooms. Emery was the first Arsenal appointment since 1996, so they had time to scout. His record at Seville was obviously better than at PSG. He must have something.

He could do with it being transmitted to his unconvincing players quickly. In terms of next season’s Champions League places, tomorrow is not all or nothing, but with United two points ahead of the Gunners, an away win could be hugely significant. Arsenal would need to engineer a five-point turnaround in the eight games remaining.

But whereas United have Manchester City and Chelsea to play, Arsenal have no top-six matches after this. A persuasive home win, however unlikely it sounds after the Rennes result, could even engender the sort of momentum United have possessed under Solskjaer. Football, after all, does bring the odd unforeseen outcome.