Manchester United's stoppage-time equaliser at Tottenham Hotspur extended their unbeaten run to five games.
They are now seventh in the Premier League, two points behind third-placed Chelsea.
After two woeful seasons, optimism is growing around Old Trafford that United are moving in the right direction.
Yet it is only just over four years ago they finished second under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, scoring 73 goals, the most in a single campaign since Sir Alex Ferguson's era ended in 2013.
After four matches of the 2021-22 season they were top, with three wins and a draw from their opening four games.
Is it time to reappraise Solskjaer's time as Manchester United boss?
There is a cruel narrative around Solskjaer. It is that, after spells with Molde, where he won the Norwegian title, and Cardiff, where he was relegated, the 52-year-old was lucky to be appointed interim United manager following Jose Mourinho's dismissal in December 2018.
Then, that he should never have been given the permanent role, let alone get an extension and that his shortcomings were eventually exposed as he lost his job following a disastrous 4-1 defeat at Watford that ended a terrible sequence of results including a 5-0 home defeat by Liverpool.
But is that assessment just cherry-picking the negatives?
Speaking to people involved in Solskjaer's appointment - and dismissal - there is a more positive view.
"He is absolutely far better than many people give him credit for," said a source who observed Solskjaer at close quarters throughout his near three-year tenure.
In the wake of Mourinho's dismissal, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward called Solskjaer back to the club he had served so memorably as a player and a coach with a simple brief - bring a smile back to Old Trafford.
He did it almost by instinct.
When Solskjaer walked back into the Carrington training ground he knew so well and where he was so popular he headed straight to beloved receptionist Kath Phipps and gave her a hug and a kiss and some of her favourite chocolates.
He turned up unexpectedly at the staff Christmas party. Those who were there say the reception he received was akin to that of an A-list celebrity.
The impact went further and deeper.
"An optimist to the limit," said a former colleague. "He sees good in everything.
"It was tiny things, like saying 'good morning, how are you doing?' Being human basically. Everything had been on a downer and was very flat. People weren't being themselves. He opened the door and got them to smile again."
Solskjaer, it is stressed, was not turning the club back to the Ferguson era. But he felt there were elements of the Scot's regime that could work in the modern era.
He was big on standards. Dress code on away trips was altered as blazers and ties returned. Carrington became more inclusive. Access to the club canteen was widened.
The general mood became lighter and more upbeat, helped by a sensational run of eight wins in a row at the start of his reign, which extended to 14 victories, two draws and one defeat in his first 17 games.
That defeat was avenged when United went to Paris St-Germain and beat them 2-1 thanks to Marcus Rashford's stoppage-time penalty.
It was a result that ranks high on the list of the club's European achievements, to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, something they have only managed twice since they were beaten by Barcelona at Wembley in the 2011 final.
Against that backdrop, Solskjaer became permanent manager, signing a three-year contract.
His critics say this was a mistake.
Those involved in the negotiations still argue otherwise.
"People spoke about his philosophy, but training was led by Kieran [McKenna]," an insider told the BBC.
"Ole was on the grass but he watched the coaching. In that sense, his methods were similar to Carlo Ancelotti.
"He was brilliant at man-managing the players. The culture was incredible. He was a confidante. The players wanted to play for him, and the style of football was what everyone wanted."
It showed on the pitch.
After a sixth-place finish in that initial season, United ended Solskjaer's two full campaigns in third and second - the highest consecutive league positions since Ferguson retired. They reached five semi-finals out of six in cup competitions.
Crucially though, they did not win any. The nearest they came was losing on penalties to Villarreal in the 2021 Europa League final when goalkeeper David de Gea's missed spot-kick proved decisive.
The lack of silverware was a problem.
"It was like an albatross he carried," said the insider. "Particularly in the second full year, people kept saying 'will he win something?'."
Despite this, internally there was belief in Solskjaer and his team. In July 2021 he was given a contract extension to 2024. Woodward said the foundations were now in place "for long-term success".
Cristiano Ronaldo's return was added to the big-money arrivals of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane - and the Portugal superstar then scored twice on his second debut against Newcastle to send Manchester United top of the Premier League. The mood was euphoric.
It proved to be the ultimate false dawn.
BBC Sport has been told the United dressing room, almost exclusively, was thrilled by Ronaldo's arrival. Solskjaer felt the returning forward would set standards and show team-mates what was required to reach the top.
Ferguson wanted him. Woodward wanted him. The fans wanted him.
"The problem was the way Ole and Kieran set the team out, you couldn't carry too many players who didn't track back," said a dressing room source. "It needed legs, it needed press.
"The system had to change, which is fine to accommodate a big player, but Ole couldn't make it work. Ronaldo was effective but his arrival took something quite major out of a system he had been working on for two and a half years."
It unravelled in the space of six defeats in 11 games over two months, including that astonishing home defeat by Liverpool. Losing at Watford - United conceded twice in stoppage time - proved to be the end.
There are those who think that was unfair.
"That game was a mess," said the dressing room source. "The scoreline suggested everything had gone wrong.
"It hadn't but that is when you need backing. The usual noise about 'losing the dressing room' started. He never did. He might have lost one or two players but usually they are the ones not getting picked."
Solskjaer privately knew his time was up and the last rites on his tenure came in a short and emotional meeting with Woodward the following morning.
"Maybe Ole would have solved it eventually but he didn't in those first few months and the club was falling into a bad place," says someone with knowledge of the decision-making process.
As it turned out, first under the interim charge of Michael Carrick, then Ralf Rangnick, with the same group of players United won 10 and lost just two of their next 18 games.
Could Solskjaer have engineered that same turnaround in fortunes?
No-one will ever know. But, looking back, maybe his time in charge was not so bad after all.
