Richard Buxton: Tougher tests lie ahead for Ole's Red Devils

Idealism and reality are still some distance apart in Manchester United's healing process.

Tempting though it may be to claim that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the new messiah, following a 5-1 win over Cardiff City yesterday morning (Singapore time), there remains a long way to go.

Sir Alex Ferguson's most famous substitute does not walk on water, even after unifying Old Trafford and overseeing the club's first five-goal haul since his former manager's retirement.

Comprehensively beating a side that sits just two points above the EPL's relegation zone is hardly a stern test - even David Moyes managed to win in Wales on his managerial bow with the Red Devils against Swansea in 2013.

Solskjaer hardly reinvented the wheel at his former stomping ground. He went back to basics; a return to the simplicity of the Ferguson era which galvanised serial under-performers of Jose Mourinho's tenure.

A combination of Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard for United's third goal of the game evoked memories of the swashbuckling football with which both the trio, and their club, had become synonymous.

Manchester, however, are not yet witnessing their greatest resurrection since the Stone Roses.

Martial, Pogba and Lingard are unlikely to ever stack up to the United Trinity. They are not Denis Law, George Best or even Bobby Charlton by any means.

Solskjaer, similarly, is not Ferguson's natural successor, contrary to the early positive signs.

United have been here before.

Ryan Giggs' own spell as caretaker, after Moyes' sacking in April 2014, is fondly remembered even though expectations were completely shelved, rather than lowered, when he was handed the reins.

The evergreen winger's stint also started brightly - a 4-0 victory over Norwich City - the Red Devils' biggest win that season.

But Giggs then decided to give other players a run and made five changes for their next match against relegation-threatened Sunderland.

They lost 1-0.

They did bounce back to defeat Hull City 3-1, before his four-match tenure ended in a 1-1 draw at Southampton as the Red Devils finished seventh and missed out on the Europa League.

HIGHER STAKES

The stakes are far higher this time around, with Solskjaer tasked with making up an eight-point shortfall in 20 games.

December provides a honeymoon period before a succession of clashes with sides that will make the opponents of Giggs' stint look like a pre-season schedule in comparison.

Clashes with the EPL's traditional top six are on the horizon in the months ahead, as is the small matter of a Round of 16 clash with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Next month's trip to Tottenham Hotspur is followed, in February, by a double header against Les Parisiens and league leaders Liverpool.

In March, United will travel to PSG for the return leg, before successive games against Arsenal and Manchester City- all in the space of 11 days.

In addition to managing a congested fixture list, Solskjaer must also avoid repeating the mistake of his former teammate and allow his head to overrule the heart.

Indecision and wholesale change were recurring themes during Giggs' short tenure, with line-ups changed sporadically to accommodate what he believed the club and their fans wanted to see.

Callow youth were handed their first-team debuts while he afforded Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra glorified farewell appearances on the final day of the campaign.

United's current caretaker manager has the luxury of a squad in its prime, rather than past its peak.

However, premature declarations of a return to the glory days need to be kept in check for now.

CARDIFF: Etheridge, Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Cunningham, Gunnarsson (Ralls 83), Hoilett (Harris 74), Camarasa, Arter (Zohore 61), Murphy, Paterson

MAN UNITED: De Gea, Young, Jones, Lindelof, Shaw, Herrera, Matic (Fellaini 87), Pogba, Lingard, Rashford (Fred 79), Martial (Pereira 87)