Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will celebrate the one-year anniversary as permanent manager of Manchester United on March 28, and there are finally signs that his revolution is coming together.

Before the coronavirus crisis shut down football, United had gone 11 games unbeaten, virtually guaranteed a place in the Europa League quarter-finals, had an FA Cup last-eight tie at Norwich to look forward to and a big-money new signing in Bruno Fernandes who was ripping through opposition teams.

They were also fully in the hunt for a Champions League spot, just three points off Chelsea in fourth and occupying fifth spot in the Premier League - which could be a gateway to Europe's premier cup competition next season should Manchester City's two-year ban be upheld.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took a swipe how Jose Mourinho left Manchester United behind

Solskjaer claimed 'a lot needed to be changed' after he replaced Mourinho in December 2018

All of which would be an immense source of pride for Solskjaer, in charge of the club he so loved playing for.

Solskjaer recently opened up about what measures he felt needed implementing when he replaced Jose Mourinho in December 2018, which had left United 11 points adrift of the top four.

'I felt a lot needed to be changed,' he said ahead of coming face-to-face with his predecessor, before the game on March 15 was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'We've signed four players and lost quite a few and promoted from within, lots of youngsters.

'I don't know how dramatic those changes have been. I don't think it feels dramatic for the squad and the ones that were here. We needed certain pieces in the puzzle and they've worked.

'It's not just about tactics, it's about the players. I've got great staff. I've got a philosophy I think is worthy of this club. I'm a red and I think I know what this club needs.

'I believe we're going places. I believe that we're on the track that Man United need to be on. There are different cultures at different clubs and different ways of doing things, and I believe in the way we do things at Man United now.

'I don't necessarily believe in everything we've done before, but at the moment I believe in what we're doing. I think I'm the right man but I'm not going to sit here and talk about that. The proof is in the pudding at the end of the day.'

So just what has he done? And has it been a success? Sportsmail take a closer look...

Solskjaer poses with his staff, including first-team coach Michael Carrick (centre left) and assistant Mike Phelan (centre right) after taking over

Transfer activity

Mourinho's mood in his final few months at Old Trafford was dark and sullen. He spent pre-season complaining at a lack of investment, railing against executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward at almost every opportunity.

Solskjaer has largely kept his counsel, perhaps at sheer gratitude for being plucked from Molde and handed the opportunity of a lifetime.

He hasn't always got what he wanted, but he hasn't moaned. It took an extra transfer window to bring in Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon, and his impact has been transformative, and they probably remain short of a striker despite loan signing Odion Ighalo also hitting the ground running.

Fernandes though has been a revelation, almost transforming the side overnight. He picked up the Premier League Player of the Month for February, joining a select group who have scooped the award in their debut month in England.

His range of passing and intelligence on the ball have made United a much more potent attacking threat, and builds on the work that was started last summer.

Last summer's activity was decisive in plugging gaps and revamping the make-up of the squad.

Solskjaer maintains a good working relationship with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward

Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have been key in defence since joining last summer

Bruno Fernandes won Premier League Player of the Month in his first month at the club

Harry Maguire arrived for a record fee for a defender, Daniel James was acquired early and looks a promising talent - though he was overplayed in the early stages of the season. He finally broke his goal drought in the 5-0 thrashing of LASK. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is continuing to develop and looks an increasingly more confident player going forward from right back.

Just as significant was the work he managed in shifting the deadwood from a bloated squad. Ander Herrera left on his terms, but Chris Smalling, Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo have been among the major names to leave and free up space in the squad. Efforts were made to dissuade Ashley Young from leaving for Inter Milan, but it was high time for United to move away from their reliance on the 34-year-old.

Alexis Sanchez proved an expensive flop in 18 months in Manchester, and United fans were glad to see the back of him when he went to Inter. But Solskjaer erred in his desperation to offload Romelu Lukaku. It put too much pressure on the shoulders of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, both of whom have suffered injury-interrupted seasons and don't look like natural No 9s.

Alexis Sanchez was an expensive flop during his 18-month spell at Manchester United

Romelu Lukaku has thrived at Inter Milan after being deemed surplus to requirements

Lukaku has been a striker reborn in Serie A and at 26 he still has his best years ahead of him. Ighalo has impressed, but at 30 years old he surely cannot be a long-term option for Solskjaer.

They only plumped for the Nigerian after a mad scramble at the end of the January window that saw them linked with a whole range of strikers from Brighton's Glenn Murray, Bournemouth's Joshua King to Mario Mandzukic.

What is certain is that Solskjaer's United remains an incomplete project, and reinforcements in defence, midfield and attack remain a priority for the coming summer window - whenever that takes place.

Promoting youth

Manchester United are famed for their faith in young players. It is a tradition that Solskjaer has continued.

Mason Greenwood has been the biggest beneficiary from the failure to invest in a striker last summer. With 12 goals so far in this campaign, the 18-year-old has put himself on the map.

Brandon Williams displaced Luke Shaw as first-choice left back and looks like he will be a first-team fixture in the coming years.

Angel Gomes, James Garner and Ethan Laird are among those who have been given chances, while United were handed a major boost when Tahith Chong committed his long-term future by signing a new deal in the face of interest from a host of European clubs.

Brandon Williams has displaced Luke Shaw in the Manchester United defence this season

Rejuvenating a broken squad

The transfer activity at Old Trafford has been significant but not extensive. Many players still remain from the days of Mourinho, plenty of whom had fallen out of favour with the former manager.

One player, promoted by Mourinho in 2018, has gone from strength to strength in the 15 months since his departure.

Scott McTominay has only grown in stature under Solskjaer. He was a sore absence when injury caused him to miss two months of action but United are vastly improved when he takes to the pitch. Even Nemanja Matic, reluctantly called upon in recent fixtures, has appeared his most sprightly for some time.

Fred was an expensive misfit under Mourinho after arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018

Scott McTominay has increasingly grown in stature in the time under Solskjaer

Fred was a £50m misfit when he arrived in the summer of 2018. United had trumped rivals Manchester City to his signature, but he looked so short of the quality required.

He has been a man transformed in recent months, given a clear task by Solskjaer he performs diligently and is proving adept at breaking up play in the middle and offers tireless running. Whether he will ever prove value for money is up for debate, but he is certainly no longer the joke figure and complete write-off he was 12 months ago.

Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial often struggled to assert themselves under Mourinho and both were reportedly intent on leaving. Their goal output has increased under Solskjaer, who has seemingly found their best positions as wide forwards. A central striker to complement their attacking qualities could really take United to the next level.

Even the Paul Pogba side show, which so dominated Mourinho's final year in charge, has been parked. He was outstanding in Solskjaer's first few months and he has been sorely missed due to injury issues this campaign. If he can be convinced to stay beyond the summer then he could form an effective partnership with Fernandes in midfield.

Tactics

Mourinho's tactics looked outdated at Old Trafford, and Tottenham are looking increasingly adrift of their top four rivals under his tutelage. They were handed a lesson by RB Leipzig in the Champions League and their current travails offer a glimpse at just what Solskjaer had to overhaul at United.

Solskjaer immediately repurposed United when he took charge, willing them to run more and express themselves. Instead of setting them up with the opposition in mind, they were let off the leash. Instead of stifling opponents, they were playing to their own strengths.

Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba were the most obvious beneficiaries last season, hitting the goal trail on a far more regular basis.

But they hit a wall in March. Without the benefit of a full pre-season they had not been conditioned for the work Solskjaer was making them get through week in, week out. They collapsed, winning just two of their last 12 games of the season.

Solskjaer has played to United's strengths and brought the best out of Marcus Rashford

Anthony Martial is now becoming a more reliable goalscorer after wanting to leave previously

That lethargy continued into this, and the first half of the season was defined by United's inability to beat the teams they should. When required to take the game to opponents they were often uninspired, slow in possession and lacking in ideas and cutting edge.

Some of this can be attributed to the loss of Pogba for much of the season, and the arrival of Fernandes has been key in adding that extra guile and individual quality.

And while Mourinho's record against his top six rivals was abysmal, it is in these head-to-heads that Solskjaer has thrived. Playing on the counter suits the pace of a front three that has often consisted of Rashford, Martial and James. They have beaten Manchester City and Chelsea home and away and were the first team to take points off Liverpool last October.

Turning defeats against Burnley, Newcastle, West Ham, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace into victories should prove easier than finding a game plan to live with their rivals.

Staff

After the departure of Mourinho and his own staff members, there have followed sweeping changes in Solskajer's backroom team.

The most high-profile was the return of Ferguson's former assistant Mike Phelan to help provide that link between the old and new at Old Trafford.

'Mick's absolutely brilliant,' said Solskjaer last January, 'with his experience, his knowledge and personality around the place.

'Not just for the players and coaches, but the rest of the staff as well. Mick's tough but he's kind. He's got everything I would want in an assistant.'

But some key personnel have remained, including first-team coaches Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna.

Culture

One of the first changes Solskjaer tried to implement was cultural. He wanted his players to have pride in the shirt and in the Manchester United name. They had to wear official club suits to and from games.

Schooled in the ways of the club from his days playing under Sir Alex Ferguson, he has been keen to keep traditions going. He famously refuses to park in the manager's car parking spot at Carrington, because he believes it still belongs to his former boss.

He identified the mood of the club and its culture as the biggest change in his first 12 months, last December.

Solskjaer has been keen to draw links to the past and his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Solskjaer celebrates with Eric Cantona and Ferguson after victory over PSG last year

'Do you know, the want and the need to do your best for the club. The being part of the family. Because you are a big part of this family when you work for us', he said.

'It doesn't matter if you're Kath on reception, or Mike behind the cooking plates, or if you're Alec doing the kit, or Ian, or us as coaches, or the players. Because we are one team and we've always been that. And I'm getting more and more confirmation on that by ex-players coming back in, who have not been there for many years.'

Mourinho, despite his gravitas and top-level experience, never really got to grips with the culture of Manchester United. The underdog mentality that has persisted throughout his management, that proved so adept at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, didn't wash with Real Madrid fans, nor with those at Old Trafford.

His constant moaning was anathema to the way Manchester United like to handle themselves. His confrontational nature was a key reason why Sir Bobby Charlton was so against appointing him after Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

United were eventually seduced in 2016, by the need to re-establish their place at the top of the English game and because they felt they had no other choice. The way it unravelled in the second-half of 2018 was toxic - from public bust-ups with star names like Pogba and Martial, and a breakdown in Mourinho's relationship with Woodward.

Solskjaer starting to see the fruits of an extensive rebuilding job that extended from the very fabric of the club and onto the pitch.