It’s starting to feel like destiny now.

Manchester United have reached the halfway point of the 2020-21 season, and the 20-times champions of England find themselves on top of the Premier League table. For the first time since 2013, the club has a legitimate chance to win another top-flight title.

What a difference a few months makes. It was just three months ago that serious questions were being asked about the club, which was thrashed 6-1 at home by Tottenham on the eve of the transfer deadline. While United didn’t exactly make a splash in the market before the deadline, those who have been part of the club in the games since have risen to the occasion more often than not.

The performances haven’t been the most fun to watch for viewers; three of their highest-profile matches have finished in scoreless draws (it could be argued that the scoreless draw at Liverpool is karma for certain American television executives, but that’s an argument for a different day). But the Red Devils have turned the corner since their November home loss to Arsenal. Players are beginning to believe under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer; Paul Pogba, for instance, is showing that he can indeed be a world-class midfielder, while David De Gea is hungry to reclaim the unofficial title of “World’s Best Goalkeeper.”

Now the question becomes what the club can do to maintain their momentum, and the answer will in large part rely on the status of one player. Bruno Fernandes has been the shot in the arm for a team desperately in need of one ever since his arrival 12 months ago. There have been times where his presence on the field has been the sole difference in matches, but it’s fair to wonder if he will run into fatigue-related issues. Harry Maguire and David De Gea played every EPL minute of last season, and the defender has kept that going into 2020-21, but the demands of a central defender are much different compared to an attacking playmaker. If Fernandes can keep up his level of play, without getting worn down from the pace of the Premier League, that will be a major benefit for United.

Another problem the club needs to address is poor starts to matches. It cost them in their Champions League match to RB Leipzig, sending United to another Europa League appearance. They fell behind at Sheffield United and Fulham, and also in the FA Cup 4th round to Liverpool, but rallied to win each of those encounters. The Red Devils can’t expect to keep playing with fire and emerge unscathed every time; back to an earlier point, an unattractive 1-0 or 2-0 win is just as valuable in the league as an exciting, come-from-behind victory. Their upcoming fixtures with Sheffield United and Arsenal will be crucial points to keep their title hopes alive.

All that said, the fact that United are in this position this late in the season gives fans reason to believe this is a season of destiny. The club did well during its 2013 celebrations to market the fact that it was United’s 20th top-flight title, and 13th in the Premier League era. Eight years later, “21 in ’21” is now a realistic goal.