I Dig Sports
INDIANAPOLIS — The shock was felt through all forms of racing when the news broke on Nov. 4.
It was news that, in reality, many of us thought we would never hear.
After 74 years of ownership of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and stewardship of the Indianapolis 500, the Hulman-George family was selling Hulman & Co. to 82-year-old Roger Penske’s Penske Corp.
Included in the sale were IndyCar and IMS Productions.
Selling the speedway was never going to happen as long as Mari Hulman George was alive.
The only daughter of Tony Hulman, the man who saved Indianapolis Motor Speedway from becoming a housing development when he purchased it on Nov. 14, 1945, was determined to keep it in the family.
Many believed that generation after generation of the Hulman-George family would find a way to preserve the facility and continue to foster the Indianapolis 500.
Mari Hulman George died on Nov. 3, 2018. One year and one day later, her family announced the sale to Penske.
Tony George, Mari’s eldest, along with her daughters Nancy, Josie and Kathy, realized that in order for the Indy 500 to continue to prosper, it was time to pass the stewardship of the race on to someone who cared about it deeply.
There were other interested parties, including late interest from Liberty Media, which owns Formula One, along with some New York investment companies. Those groups likely offered more money to purchase the assets, but George did not feel comfortable selling it to an unfamiliar group.
He wanted to ensure the Indianapolis 500 continues well into the future, and wants IndyCar to grow to the next level.
That is why he approached Penske to discuss “stewardship” of the speedway and IndyCar.
Emails were exchanged and from that moment forward, secrecy was the key. According to Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles, meetings were held with Penske in Detroit early on Saturday mornings and late on Sunday nights.
Penske’s offices were closed during those hours and it was a great time to meet without being seen.
Only four individuals on each side were involved in the negotiations. Key figures such as Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles didn’t know about the negotiations because Miles did not want the word to get out.
The same could be said for Penske, who in 1993 and 1994 pulled off one of the greatest top-secret projects in racing history with the development of the famed 209 cubic-inch Mercedes Benz pushrod engine that provided Penske’s Indy 500 team with the ultimate advantage in that year’s race.
Thirty-six hours before the announcement, Miles and Penske shared the news with key members of the IndyCar staff on the stipulation that it remain confidential.
At 8 a.m. on Monday morning, Nov. 4, came the announcement of the sale. Three hours later, Miles, Penske and George held a press conference to discuss the sale.
There are many who blame the 1996 split between factions of the Indy car world on Tony George. There were others to blame for CART’s decision to boycott the Indianapolis 500 beginning in 1996. Even Penske said it was one of his “poorer decisions” in racing to stay away from Indy from 1996 to 2000.
CART was on a roll at that time with multiple engine, chassis and tire suppliers, and with some of the top companies in the United States sponsoring the teams. But with a business model that required millions of dollars to keep operating, there was no guarantee that would have continued.
George brokered the speedway in order to build the Indy Racing League and the vocal critics continue to paint him as the “man who ruined the sport.”
But in many ways, the Hulman-George family should get credit for saving the sport.
If Tony Hulman had not purchased IMS from Eddie Rickenbacker in 1945, it would have been the end of the Indianapolis 500.
Without an Indy 500, auto racing would be an outlaw sport without a pinnacle. Even NASCAR was founded by Bill France because he was inspired by the size and magnitude of the Indianapolis 500.
George negotiated an end to the split with Kevin Kalkhoven and created a unified IndyCar Series in February of 2008.
And during 74 years of stewardship by the Hulman-George family, the Indianapolis 500 remained one of the world’s greatest sporting events.
“We all love it and we all care deeply for it,” George said. “I think we all realize that as a family and as an organization, we probably had taken it as far as we can.”
That is why passing the torch of stewardship is an important one and why Penske was the perfect choice.
“I’ve got a big commitment here to take over as the steward of this great organization and what’s been done here in the past for so many decades,” Penske said. “It’s my commitment to the Hulman family. The fact that you would select us for the opportunity to take on this investment, it’s amazing.”
It’s the beginning of a new era for the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar, but we must never forget the contributions of the Hulman-George family.
Canadian Stewart Friesen parlayed great success in the DIRTcar modifieds and a World of Outlaws victory over Donny Schatz into a well-deserved NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series ride.
But he’s not the only big talent to come out of Ontario’s Niagara Frontier, as Mat Williamson snared two of dirt modified racing’s biggest prizes back to back.
Williamson took down the $100,000-to-win 100th Anniversary Race at New York’s Orange County Fair Speedway in August and October’s $50,000-to-win Billy Whittaker Cars 200 during Super DIRT Week at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway.
“We’re in the low 20s for the season with a couple more big races coming up,” said Williamson as he enjoyed his Oswego victory. “We think we have a shot at winning them as well, which would be a great way to end the year.”
Two weeks later, he led most of the way to win the small-block modified portion of the Eastern States weekend at Orange County, earning a $15,000 payday.
Williamson outran Matt Sheppard in the final two races of the season during the Can-Am World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte to claim the Super DIRTcar Series championship.
Williamson, who laughs and says, “You’ll have to ask my mom,” when asked about the missing second “t” in his name, is seen by some as an “overnight success.”
But like most overnight successes, he’s put a great deal of time and effort toward becoming a consistent winner.
“Actually, we’ve been digging and working hard since I was 19,” Williamson said. “For 10 years we’ve been doing this deal, going to lots of races, struggling sometimes and working on getting better. It’s been a long road to get here! The good thing about racing is that when you have a good car, it’s pretty easy to knock out the wins and lately, we’ve been doing that.”
And while most drivers would trade a body part or two for a great ride, Williamson has four such rides at his disposal — and wins in all of them.
“Besides having my own car, which I run at Merrittville and some of the DIRTcar 358 series races, I drive Pete Cocco and Harry Wendt’s small block at Ransomville and the rest of the series races,” explained Williamson. “Then I have Jeff and Harry Behrent’s car that I won Orange County with. I run that at the Short Track Super Series events and Orange County. And for DIRTcar big-block series races, I’ve run Buzz Chew’s No. 88.
“I’m fortunate to have this backing, which lets me race about 80 times a year.”
With Williamson’s father Randy serving as a partner at Bicknell Racing Products, it’s not a surprise that all the cars came out of the same factory and all the teams have access to the latest setup info. Still, it seems like it would be hard to keep track of what’s on each car.
Setups vary by tracks and series, as the Short Track Super Series mandates American Racer tires, while DIRTcar requires Hoosiers.
“Actually, it’s not too bad,” said Williamson. “It really helps that we have so many smart people to work with on the different teams. Ron St. Marie was here with Chew’s deal, Johnny Coco was with the No. 6 and Jeff Behrent is very smart as well. That’s the secret, having good people behind you. It makes my job easy.
“Another consideration is that we do this for a living and we focus 100 percent of our time on racing,” Williamson noted. “I’d say that’s more of an advantage than anything else. I hang bodies at Bicknell when we’re not racing and we just keep grinding, trying to get better and better.”
Brett Hearn, for one, thinks Williamson’s plan is working.
“Being part of the factory doesn’t hurt. I’ve been there and done that,” Hearn said. “But beyond that, he’s worked hard and dedicated himself to getting better. He’s gotten better year by year and now he’s got some outside rides to take the pressure off his own deal. As long as he can make a living at it, I think he’ll be in it for the long term.”
Multi-time Super DIRTcar Series champion Matt Sheppard agreed.
“I don’t care how good the car is, in this business you still have to be able to drive it,” Sheppard said. “It takes seat time and taking advantage of opportunities. He’s gotten to be good enough now that he can take advantage of the opportunities that come his way.”
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Skinny: The two losses are misleading and the rookie was clutch Friday when he rolled in a 14-footer for birdie at the 18th hole to spark the U.S. rally. Unflappable under the most intense pressure, Cantlay is poised to become a staple on future U.S. teams.
Skinny: He lost an early lead Sunday to Adam Hadwin for a tie and was strangely absent from all but a single team match, which he lost. It’s always odd when an automatic qualifier is benched without an obvious reason.
Skinny: A relatively quiet week for the American following his impressive debut last year at the Ryder Cup, but he played clutch golf on the weekend for three huge ties that helped swing the momentum in the U.S. team’s favor. Huge singles comeback for a tie.
Skinny: Sat out the very first session then never lost a match the rest of the way. Paired with Thomas twice. The late Saturday foursomes collapse prevents him from a higher grade, and the Sunday singles tie didn’t matter because the cup was already decided.
Skinny: Came in rusty, having not played in a while and struggled all week on Royal Melbourne’s greens. Still managed a .500 record thanks to a commanding performance against Haotong Li on Sunday.
Skinny: Half-points are not to be overlooked and Kuchar collected three of them. None were bigger than the final one in singles where he made birdie on the 17th hole to give the Americans the final half-point they needed to win the cup.
Skinny: Was a distraction all week and continues to prove that without Jordan Spieth as a partner he’s no longer Captain America. But he did wake up Sunday with a 4-and-2 victory over C.T. Pan to salvage an otherwise forgettable week.
Skinny: Speaks volumes that Woods trusted him enough to have him play all five sessions as a rookie. Paired with Cantlay four times then beat Adam Scott rather handily in Sunday singles. Will make many U.S. teams over the next decade.
Skinny: Saddled with Reed three times in team play and did not perform very well. Once he was alone in singles he seemed to calm down and beat Ben An, who had played really well all week. Simpson did the best he could with the cards he was dealt.
Skinny: With or without Woods as a partner, JT was a stud and he’s now ascended to the U.S. team’s go-to player in clutch moments and is its emotional epicenter. He was also the American’s top point-earner but he’s lucky the Saturday collapse and Sunday singles loss didn’t come back to haunt him.
Skinny: He struggled paired with Johnson, although that seemed to be more of an issue with DJ’s game, and dropped a decisive match to Sungjae Im on Sunday. Still, the rookie proved to be the kind of team player the U.S. needs.
Skinny: Although he raised some eyebrows when he sat himself for both Saturday sessions, the playing captain delivered with a momentum-building early point Sunday to start the rout and finished the week with a perfect record. Incredible what he was able to accomplish as the team’s oldest player.
Skinny: It’s worth making the distinction between captain and player because even though Woods proved to be as good as advertised as a leader, he wasn’t flawless. Bringing Reed back into the fold backfired and was a monumental distraction. Otherwise, the captain pushed most of the right buttons.
Skinny: A late arrival to the team as a replacement for Jason Day, his performance was stellar and he played all five matches because of that. Lost some of that momentum by Sunday and lost to Webb Simpson when his team needed him.
Skinny: The rookie shined all week even in his singles loss to Tiger Woods. “I knew going into this match, no matter the outcome, I was just going to come out of there a better player,” he said. Els expected a big week out of Ancer and he didn’t disappoint, tying Sungjae Im as the team’s top points-earner.
Skinny: The Canadian was slowed by illness and dropped a big point to the U.S. team during Friday foursomes play, but he rallied for a half-point Sunday against Bryson DeChambeau to keep the International team’s hopes alive.
Skinny: With seven rookies on his team, Els needed production from his young players and Im produced, tying the mark for the most points earned by an International player. Was one of only two players on his team to win singles.
Skinny: Perhaps he put too much pressure on himself to perform in front of the Aussie crowds, but simply put, he needed to play better in key situations. The Internationals, and captain Els, expected more out of its veterans overall.
Skinny: Li was supposed to be a big part of the young and fearless International team, but instead was missing for most of the week. He sat out the first two sessions and only played on single team match on Saturday morning, then was rolled Sunday by Dustin Johnson in an unfair fight.
Skinny: Considering his previously poor record in the matches Royal Melbourne was a step in the right direction, but his Sunday collapse was costly. Playing in the day’s second match out he built a 4-up lead over Tony Finau through 10 holes but played his final eight holes in 4 over par to tie the match.
Skinny: It was probably unrealistic for Els to expect big things from all of his rookies, but the captain needed more from Niemann. He lost the team’s only match Thursday, allowed the U.S. side to turn a point Friday and was smoked in singles play by Cantlay.
Skinny: Two-and-a-half points in four matches seems like it should be enough, but still, a veteran like Oosthuizen has to do more if the Internationals are going to win. They relied too heavily on several of their rookies.
Skinny: Turned out to be a solid partner for Hideki Matsuyama, who has struggled to find the right pairing, and battled back against Reed to avoid a historically bad singles loss.
Skinny: See both Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen. Scott had played in eight previous cups and lost all eight. The Internationals needed more from him if they were going to win for the first time in over 20 years. More was expected from him in singles.
Skinny: Good, young energy and proved to be a good team player. Was willing to do whatever his captain asked of him. One of only two outright singles victories and none bigger than him beating Justin Thomas in a match the Internationals had to have.
Skinny: With his team holding a two-point lead heading into Sunday he did his job as a captain. His team embraced his vision and he didn’t leave anything to chance, but it simply wasn’t good enough against a relentless American team on Sunday. Ultimately, he was undone by veterans, not rookies.
Everton's interim manager Duncan Ferguson admitted he replaced substitute Moise Kean just 18 minutes after throwing him into the action at Manchester United because the 19-year-old "struggled" to adjust to the pace of the game.
Kean, a £27.5 million summer signing from Juventus, had been introduced as a 70th minute replacement for Brazilian winger Bernard during the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
But after an unimpressive contribution, Kean was replaced by Oumar Niasse 18 minutes later before walking straight down the touchline and into the dressing room.
"I was looking for a guy who could handle it better," Ferguson said. "He struggled to get into the game. He had not quite got into the pace of it.
"He started on the right wing and he is a centre-forward, but he's only 19, so he'll come again.
"But we had a lot of strikers on the bench, we didn't have midfielders to change it too much.
"It's unfortunate on the kid to bring him back off. It was really just to get another pair of fresh legs. It's one of those things for him. I'm sure he'll pick himself up and we'll go again."
Kean has yet to score for Everton since his big-money arrival from Juventus and the incident at United was the latest setback for him at the club.
But after his negative reaction to being substituted, Ferguson admitted he would speak to the Italy Under-21 striker this week.
"It's understandable if you're a a sub and get subbed off," Ferguson said. "I've had it myself when I was a player.
"I see why he's upset, but it's about the team. I think it'll speak to him, I will see him tomorrow."
Manchester City ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday night partially thanks to another Kevin De Bruyne masterclass. The Belgian was in inspired form, sensationally scoring the away side's first and third goals of the night -- while also assisting Raheem Sterling the second. De Bruyne opened the scoring just two minutes in, lashing home from a Gabriel Jesus cross, only to turn provider for Sterling's goal not long afterwards. It was three before the break, with De Bruyne once again on target, unleashing an accurate side-footed drive into the bottom corner, to complete the first-half rout. The result sees City close in on Leicester in second place, though the gap to leaders Liverpool remains a sizable one.
Positives
The obvious answer will surely be De Bruyne -- but Phil Foden played superbly throughout. The England youth international earned a start following an impressive display against Dinamo Zagreb in the week. He shone once again tonight, with incisive passing, intelligent movement, and an assist of his own for City's third goal. When David Silva does eventually depart the Etihad, City appear to have their very own, ready-made replacement.
Negatives
There are few to pick from on a day of triumph for City, but question marks will still linger over the sides back-line, and its ability to sustain large amounts of pressure. City's centre-backs were certainly better tonight, but on another day, Nicolas Pepe could have made Benjamin Mendy look rather silly, as the Manchester club continue to find a solution to their left-back conundrum.
Manager Ratings (out of 10)
9 -- Pep Guardiola got his team selection spot on, after weeks of increased scrutiny over some of his tactical tweaks. His decision to start Foden was an inspired one, while fielding De Bruyne as a makeshift No. 10 arguably made all the difference. Defensively, City also looked well balanced and solid, in a pleasing win for Guardiola and his coaching staff.
Player Ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Ederson, 7 -- The Brazilian was scarcely called upon, thanks to some improved Arsenal defending. However, he did stop the home side from going ahead just a few minutes in, with a terrific close range save from Gabriel Martinelli.
DF Kyle Walker, 7 -- An assured performance from the Englishman, despite one of two worrying moments up against Martinelli on the right hand side. Elsewhere, his work ethic was exceptional, as we have come to expect from the former Spurs defender
DF Nicolas Ottamendi, 7 -- City have generally looked a far more solid outfit when fielding the Argentine of late. At home to United, his impact was profound, and once again today, the travellers were seldom troubled, in part, thanks to the long serving centre-back.
DF Fernandinho, 7 -- City's defence may have been excused by the brilliance of the sides attack, but regardless, it was certainly a better day at the office for Fernandinho. The Brazilian was pinpoint in his distribution, and didn't look too flustered at any time defensively.
DF Benjamin Mendy, 6 -- The Frenchman struggled at times up against Nicolas Pepe, but as the game progressed, he appeared to grow in confidence. Room for improvement, but a solid display nonetheless.
MF Rodri, 8 -- A superb outing from the Spanish holding midfielder. Rodri was vital in all facets of the game, breaking up Arsenal attacks, before helping to launch City counters. A much-improved performance.
MF Ilkay Gundogan, 8 -- The quieter of City's midfield three, in what was a ruthlessly efficient shift from the German international. Clinical passing, alongside tenacious work rate, means that the 29-year-old can be pleased with his role in City's win.
MF Phil Foden, 8 -- The academy graduate was handed a rare Premier League start tonight -- just his fourth in total. Foden repaid Guardiola's show of faith, by playing a crucial role in City's second goal of the game, in what was a near faultless display.
FW Kevin De Bruyne 10 -- As ever, the Prodigious Belgian was the primary creative outlet for City -- but today's performance was a little bit more special than usual. De Bruyne ran the show tonight, with two sensational strikes either side of his obligatory assist, in what was surely the easiest Man of the match nomination so far this season.
FW Gabriel Jesus 7 -- In the absence of Sergio Aguero, the Brazilian forward has certainly stepped up to the plate. While it wasn't a standout performance today, Jesus played his role beautifully, most notably so, when assisting for De Bruyne's thunderous opener.
FW Raheem Sterling 7 -- The England international was persistently lively, troubling Arsenal with dangerous movement. His smart work out wide however, was rewarded with a goal, as Sterling arrived late at the back post to score City's second of the match, in a typically Sterlingesque finish.
Substitutions
Bernado Silva, 7 -- The Portuguese star came on early in the second half for Foden, and took over from where the Englishman left of, with a controlled display in possession.
Riyad Mahrez, N/A -- Replaced Gundogan in the 70th minute.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, N/A -- Replaced Mendy in the 85th minute.
Arsenal were undone by a rampant Kevin De Bruyne and a clinical Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in Sunday's late Premier League encounter. Two goals in the opening 10 minutes effectively put City on their way to a fifth consecutive win against the Gunners before De Bruyne put the game beyond doubt before the break in the 3-0 win.
The unplayable De Bruyne put the visitors ahead after just two minutes with an excellent finish from just inside the area, the Belgian finishing Gabriel Jesus's cross high into the roof of the net despite their being six outfield Arsenal players between him and the goal. Goalscorer De Bruyne then turned provider as he set up Raheem Sterling to double the Citizens' advantage before he found the scoresheet again with a third before the break; a stunning left-footed finish.
Positives
The continuing industry of Gabriel Martinelli was the only ray of light for disgruntled Arsenal fans. The Brazilian enjoyed an electric start to the game. Arsenal did enjoy long spells of possession in the second half, but you had the feeling City had not only taken their foot off the gas but actually switched off the engine.
Negatives
This was the sixth game in a row in which Arsenal had gone a goal behind, and overall Freddie Ljungberg's men were exposed far too easily, his midfield and makeshift back four unable to deal with City on the break. The Gunners rarely threatened at the other end, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a mere spectator. To make matters worse, the Gunners' boss lost Sead Kolasinac to injury to further trouble his defensive woes. It's now five home league games without a win.
Manager rating out of 10
3 - Not a good afternoon for the Swede, who's side's high press didn't work as he saw his back line exposed too easily and too frequently. Unfortunately, Arsenal's soft underbelly was evident, while Ljungberg's substitutions did little to change the ebb and flow of the game.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Bernd Leno 5 - Could do very little about either of De Bruyne's finishes or Sterling's goal, but he denied the Belgian a hat trick with a stunning save to his left to tip the ball onto the post. In the second half, he reacted quickly to save at Jesus's expense after Sokratis and Calum Chambers gifted City possession.
DF Ainsley Maitland-Niles 4 - Had a quiet first half but delivered Arsenal's first real testing cross of the afternoon in the second, his teasing ball finding Aubameyang, who headed wide under pressure.
DF Calum Chambers 2 - Was guilty of losing Jesus to his right before the Brazilian cut the ball back across the area to De Bruyne for City's first. Then showed De Bruyne too much time before deflecting the Belgian's cross into Sterling's path for the second. Exposed again in the second half. A poor afternoon overall.
DF Sokratis 3 - Had a difficult afternoon, though a challenge on De Bruyne early in the second half earned warm applause from the hapless Gunners' faithful. Guilty of a number of hospital passes around his own area. Booked in the second on the afternoon for his fifth yellow card of the season.
DF Sead Kolasinac 3 - The Bosnian defender was flat footed for City's second goal and he was unable to react to De Bruyne's deflected pass across the face of goal, leaving Sterling on his own at the back post to finish. Was injured following a tackle by Rodri and was subsequently substituted.
MF Lucas Torreira 3 - Could do little to stop the blue wave in the first half though he attempted to press the visitors high up the pitch. When he ventured forward in the second half, receiving a ball from Mesut Ozil on the edge of the area, he sent the ball into orbit. Substituted with 10 minutes left on the clock.
MF Matteo Guendouzi 3 - Could do little to stem the City tide but came close to pulling a goal back with a shot that was blocked by Fernandinho. The youngster was given a bit of a footballing lesson by his opposing counterparts.
MF Nicolas Pepe 3 - The Frenchman struggled to stand out though he showed some nice touches. A drag back in the first half in particular earned applause. More is expected from him in these big games, however.
MF Mesut Ozil 3 - The German could do little to influence the proceedings and he was restricted to free kicks and speculative crosses from distance. His afternoon was perhaps best summed up when he misjudged a pass from Pepe before going out for a throw-in. Substituted just before the hour mark.
MF Gabriel Martinelli 6 - Fresh from his goal against West Ham six days earlier, Martinelli was Arsenal's liveliest player by some distance. First, his driving run in the first minute and subsequent shot forced Ederson into an early save to force a corner, before he beat Kyle Walker to trouble the Brazilian again with a cross-shot. Arsenal's only real source of positivity all afternoon.
FW Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 4 - The Gabonese striker cut a forlorn figure, and he could have counted on one hand his number of touches in the first half. He did however come close with a header straight after half-time under pressure from Nicolas Otamendi. A speculative effort 18 minutes from time failed to trouble Ederson.
Substitutes
MF Emile Smith Rowe 5 - The 19-year-old came on for Ozil to make his Premier League debut. Made some incisive short passes and fared better than his more experienced teammates. Looked comfortable on the ball.
FW Bukayo Saka 4 - The Ealing-born winger came on for the injured Kolasinac and could only watch on as he waited to enter the proceedings when De Bruyne scored his second and City's third. Showed a willingness to get forward in the second half and tried to set Martinelli free when possible.
MF Joe Willock NR - Came on late on and didn't have an impact.
Solskjaer's Man United still have a long way to go
MANCHESTER, England -- What a difference a year makes for Manchester United. Ahead of Wednesday's first anniversary of Jose Mourinho's sacking and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's arrival, the club sits sixth in the Premier League and Mauricio Pochettino's name continues to hover over Old Trafford as a potential saviour.
At first glance, the picture does not appear to have changed much since Mourinho was dismissed in the aftermath of a 3-1 defeat at Liverpool last December. But after home-grown forward Mason Greenwood salvaged a 1-1 draw against Everton on the day United's matchday squad featured at least one academy product for the 4,000th consecutive game, Solskjaer has some vindication for his decision to overhaul the squad he inherited.
As Everton, under caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson, left Old Trafford with a deserved point, United ended the day on 25 points; one point fewer than when Mourinho was sacked. However, the upside of that statistic for Solskjaer is that his United are just four points adrift of the top four, as opposed to the 13-point gap that had opened up by the time his predecessor was told to clear his desk.
Solskjaer has taken charge of 54 games in all competitions, winning 28, losing 14 and drawing 12. Taken at face value, those numbers conjure up adjectives such as mediocre, average, or even unimpressive, but the reason the Norwegian is still in charge and not judged solely on results is because of changes he has made on and off the pitch.
Players have come and gone -- underperforming big names shipped out and younger, less experienced ones brought in -- and the mood around the club is more upbeat and positive than during the final days of the Mourinho era.
It has unquestionably been a bumpy ride, with stark highs like winning against the odds against Paris Saint-Germain, and lows that included a dismal 4-0 defeat at Everton just weeks later.
Back-to-back victories against Tottenham and Manchester City this month point to a corner having been turned, yet this draw again highlighted the work to be done before they can seriously class themselves as contenders for the big honours again. As Solskjaer admitted after the game, "This wasn't really a backwards step, more of a stand-still."
United have become a potent counter-attacking team due to the pace of Marcus Rashford, Daniel James and Jesse Lingard, and their ability to spring out of defence and hurt teams is why they have taken 13 points this season from games against the five teams above them in the Premier League.
But they have claimed just 12 points from 12 games against teams beneath them in the table and that is because Solskjaer's team still does not have a Plan B.
When teams sit deep and deny space to counter, United quickly run out of ideas. They need a creative force -- a fit Paul Pogba, perhaps -- or a midfielder with the experience and ability to dictate the tempo of the game.
Such is the youthfulness and inexperience of this United side that the players are too keen to make a killer pass at every opportunity when, sometimes, having the nous to play it simple and maintain possession would be more sensible.
"It's easy from the outside, sitting in stands," Solskjaer said. "It was a bit of calm head [lacking] that you'll get with a bit more experience. The young kids want to do it and want to do well, but we just didn't have that one little bit of extra composure."
The victories over Spurs and Man City dampened speculation that Solskjaer's job would be under threat if the team dropped further out of top-four contention. It is accepted that there will be days like these against Everton, when inexperience counts against United, but there cannot be too many, especially because former Spurs manager Pochettino is available for a top job.
United have not come from behind to win a league game since beating Southampton in March, but after Greenwood cancelled out Victor Lindelof's first-half own goal with 13 minutes left to play, Solskjaer's team should have gone on to score a winner.
They still do not possess the necessary ruthlessness and that is another element that Solskjaer must address. One year into the job, though, United are in a better place under Solskjaer than when he arrived.
"I've really enjoyed it, I think we're on the right track," Solskjaer said about his 12 months in charge. "I'm looking forward to going into work tomorrow because these boys want to improve. We are, as a team and a group, going forward."
'Ordinary' Abid Ali takes his chance and seals his place in history
Twelve years in domestic cricket, 7116 runs in 106 first-class games, averaging 57.43 in the last three seasons. In contention for two years, Abid Ali finally managed to play a Test on a historic occasion with Pakistan hosting the longer format for the first time in 10 years.
Having made his first-class debut among many who grew up at a time when international cricket was absent from the country, Abid made his maiden Test appearance at the age of 31. And he made the most of it by scoring a century, becoming the only player in history to reach three figures in his first Test and ODI.
Also read: The day all of Pakistan was hoping for
Being "thankful for a chance", Abid recalled the persistence and hard work that played a major part in his success. He had been with the team for more than a year but could not break into a congested top order which also included Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood.
When Pakistan rested their leading ODI players ahead of the World Cup, Abid earned a rare chance against Australia in UAE and made it a dream debut with a hundred. He travelled with the team to England only to be ignored for the World Cup squad. In his previous outing with Pakistan to Australia he again missed out making into the XI for the entire series.
"I had never grumbled upon being ignored," said Abid. "I had patience and I had a belief that my time will come and then I will prove what I am capable of.
"I had been with the team and kept my fitness level high and keep on working on my skills set with small plans. I knew someday I will get a chance and I was always ready for it. Thankfully I got it and a hundred on debut is what else you ask for. I waited long for this very day to come and here I am."
Abid hails from Lahore and is a product of Shafqat Rana Academy in the Race Course Park in the centre of the city. He often struggled to make it into the squad for his own region and was forced to play elsewhere. He had a lengthy association with the Islamabad region and represented Baluchistan province. Most recently, he failed to find a place in his own provincial side, Central Punjab, and was drafted to Sindh where he averaged 76.75, scoring 307 runs in five innings with a highest score of 249 not out.
Despite Imam sitting on the bench and Sami Aslam knocking on the door, Abid said he had not felt uncomfortable.
"I know there is a competition around me but it has increased a lot recently but all I know is that I have to keep on performing to stay relevant," Abid said. "I need to raise my game and with every chance I have to perform well.
"I had never complained, rather I have the self-belief that what is up for me I will get it. I waited for my time and finally I got it. It would be a great disappointment for me if I hadn't performed but thanks to God that all my hard work is rewarded."
Along with Azhar Ali, Abid shared an 87-run stand for the second wicket which at times lacked synchronisation. Both scored at the rate of 3.0 and were involved in mix-ups that nearly had them run out on two occasions. With in-form batsman Babar Azam, Abid looked more comfortable and added an unbeaten 162-run stand at a rate of 4.24.
"Babar is a world-class player and he is very well-respected," he said. "He was the one who really gave me confidence to stay put and wait for the bad ball. I was bit nervous when in the 90s but he carried me all along and saw me through my hundred.
"One of the mix-ups with Azhar it was actually my mistake ... as we never played together ever so had trouble in making calls but with the innings going we got settled."
Despite being nicknamed "legend", Abid urged fans and journalists to not relate him with big names in cricket.
"I am an ordinary player and I can't match those great players," he said. "I am Abid Ali and please see me as Abid Ali only. I, being down to earth, would like to keep on performing and serve Pakistan with distinction. The crowd supporting us really doubled up my confidence so I am thankful to the crowd for coming to the game and backing us."
'It's going to be a bit of bodyline this series' - Tim Paine
There was a moment towards the end of the Perth Test where two of the key protagonists managed a smile. Neil Wagner knew what was coming from Mitchell Starc - it wasn't going to be in his half of the pitch - and he somehow managed to swipe a top edge for six over third man. Next ball was an even more vicious short ball and it was edged to Tim Paine. That was the last wicket of a match to fall to a short delivery in a game dominated by them.
Wagner had put his body on the line for New Zealand, bowling 60 overs in a Test - the most he has sent down - during which, according to an ABC news report, Perth recorded three consecutive days over 40C for the first time. Starc, meanwhile, finished with 9 for 97 and had a brief moment to respond in kind to the treatment handed out by Wagner on him and the rest of the Australians.
It felt a long time ago as the last wicket fell, but the fourth day had started with an extraordinary passage of play where Matthew Wade basically stood his ground and allowed Wagner to hit him. Though the margin of defeat was huge, taken in isolation New Zealand's short-ball plan worked superbly in the second innings as Wagner and Tim Southee created a collapse of 7 for 58. Wagner also had the satisfaction of twice removing Steven Smith with the short ball.
"It was great theatre, wasn't it," Tim Paine said. "We were just having a laugh before when we were bowling at their tail, we think it's going to be a bit of bodyline for a lot of the series.
"You've got to respect a guy who can run and bowl 50 overs and absolutely have a crack. He looks like the sort of bloke you'd love to have on your team." Tim Paine on Neil Wagner
"There's been a lot of talk about it, but regardless of the pace of the two teams they are very, very skilled at executing that ball and they set great fields for it. So it's a completely different challenge from what you get from other teams. They're very good at it and they're very clever."
While acknowledging that Wagner "would get a few back" for his troubles, Paine was full of respect for what the left-armer was able to do. The pitch in Melbourne will be slower than Perth, but that is unlikely to deter Wagner from trying for a repeat performance.
"What I do know is our boys [the bowlers] won't be getting any slower as the series goes on," Paine said. "You've got to respect a guy who can run and bowl 50 overs and absolutely have a crack. He looks like the sort of bloke you'd love to have on your team.
"Of course he's going get a few back, that's a given. I just thought it was all played in the right spirit, and our boys have got a lot of respect for the way he goes about it. This game was bloody hot, and I think he bowled about 50 overs and 200 bouncers. He's clearly got a big heart, so hats off to him - I thought he did bloody well."
Kane Williamson's assessment of the amount of short-pitched bowling was a mixture of Wagner's strengths and a pitch which offered assistance throughout. Ultimately his team could not handle what Australia produced in response, bowled out for 166 and 171, and if the efforts of Wagner and the other bowlers is not to be wasted New Zealand's batting must respond.
"It was a tactic on a pitch like this when it did age and there were cracks and the bounce become a little bit more variable then it proved to be effective. It's not for everywhere," he said. "It's also something that the likes of Neil Wagner have been very successful doing for us in his role for a long period of time. So I don't know if it says any more than what we've had in this match but we'll wait and see.
"Now we go from here to the MCG and we'll have to adjust to those conditions and come back to the red-ball. So the guys will look forward to a couple of days reflecting and then prepare for the next match."
Wagner and Southee should be due extra downtime given their efforts after New Zealand lost Lockie Ferguson on the first day. On a positive note for them, Trent Boult is looking likely to be fit for the Boxing Day Test after being "close" for Perth according to Williamson. He was a huge loss for the day-night Test and is now vital for their chances of fighting back.
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