When the Premier League fixture list was first released back in June it was clear Manchester United would need to be heading into October unscathed from their opening encounters.
A draw away at Southampton remains the only dropped points United have suffered so far in the league this season, a win against Aston Villa this weekend will also be crucial ahead of a run of matches which sees them face all of last season's top six in the space of seven games.
The foundations being laid now are going to be crucial if United are to be serious title contenders rather than pretenders come next year, such strenuous demands are what made the manner of their weekend win at West Ham that bit sweeter.
Whenever a team scores a late winner it is easy to fall down the dangerous narrative of 'luck being on their side', but anyone who watched on Sunday afternoon will be well aware United deserved their reward at the London Stadium.
If not for sloppy mistakes in attack and inexcusable officiating errors United would have had the game sewn up long before Jesse Lingard and David de Gea intervened with moments of brilliance late on, but as last Tuesday night proved, the full-time score is the only thing which matters.
Lingard and Solskjaer both deserve huge praise for answering their critics so quickly after defeat to BSC Young Boys though it was about time De Gea finally grabbed the headlines having already saved his side so many times this season.
The Spaniard was expected to surrender the No.1 spot to Dean Henderson in the opening stages of this campaign but was handed an unexpected lifeline when his club rival was setback by injury and then Covid-19.
Those lasting effects of Covid are the reason why Henderson is yet to represent the first-team in a competitive match this season, instead he is gradually building match fitness away from the media spotlight playing for the club's U23 side.
Even when he is fully fit Henderson will likely be watching on from the bench such is the form of the rejuvenated De Gea, the unsung hero who has contributed enormously to seven vital points for his side already this season.
The crowning moment of his calendar year was no doubt the late penalty stop to deny Mark Noble at the weekend as he finally ended an unwanted run of 40 penalties without making a stop, his last coming all the way back in 2016.
Yet the most heroic was prior to the international break at Wolves when De Gea rolled back the years to deny Romain Saiss at the double, keeping the scores level and providing the perfect platform for Mason Greenwood to snatch another three points.
His most straightforward but still equally as important stop came at Southampton to deny Adam Armstrong a potential late winner, the forward fired straight at the United shot-stopper but it is credit to De Gea that he stayed strong and didn't rush into a rash decision which could have resulted in a defeat.
Another three points at the weekend sees United level with early pace-setters Liverpool and Chelsea at the top of the league but without De Gea's contribution they could feasibly be in midtable.
"He's a top 'keeper, everyone loves having him behind them," Solskjaer told MUTV after victory over West Ham.
"He has come back focused, really determined with a desire to show who he is. It's his 11th season and we have never stopped believing in him, it's also important that he knows that.
"He came in pre-season and said 'I know I am supposed to be resting but I want to come back early.' That just shows his determination."
Solskjaer knows it is far too early for any side to be recognised as clear favourites for the Premier League title, but by the end of the month there might already be a slight indication of the teams which won't be in the race.
Thanks to De Gea his side are very much still in those early discussions.
