Manchester United's season has picked up significantly since Jose Mourinho departed and Ole Solskjaer took the reins at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils sit firmly placed to have a good run at the top four in the second half of the campaign, and it is a credit to Solskjaer and his coaching team that the club find themselves in such a position after what was a disastrous start to the season.

Despite the excellent upturn in form though, there are some players in the United squad who still have plenty to prove going into 2019, and these players will know full well they have work to do if they wish to remain at Old Trafford beyond the summer, whoever might be in charge.

We here in the Tavern agree with that sentiment, and feel that certain individuals need to step up to the plate to ensure continued success for one of the biggest teams in the world.

With that in mind, we've taken a look at TWO Man United players who need to be impressing over the next few months to ensure their future at the club...

Alexis Sanchez

The Chilean forward has been a miserable flop since making a move to United from Arsenal.

His massive wages are well known to fans and pundits alike, but his performances have not matched those excessive numbers.

Sanchez simply has to step up or risk being lost among the resurgence at United.

Fred

Despite only signing in the summer, it's hard to make a case to say that the Brazilian midfielder has been impressive.

Not selected often under Solskjaer as yet, Fred has some work to do to show he is capable of fulfilling the potential obviously seen in him when the club splashed over £50m on him in the summer.

It would be a shame to see it not work out for the midfielder, but he has to step up, and fast.