And so that’s your lot, on a dream evening for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Manchester United. All that’s left is to plug Stuart James’ match report, and to wish you all a very merry Christmas. Ho ho ho!

Neil Warnock talks! “I thought it was an iffy free kick for the first goal, but it was a Sunday league goals really. We’d started off well and to concede a goal like that, and before you know where you are you’re 2-0 down. We came back well, but conceded another stupid goal, and if you concede goals you’re going to lose games. On the plus side, even at half-time I thought we’d have a chance if we got the next goal. But it’s not a penalty, dear me. But you can’t blame the ref when it’s 5-1 can you?! It’s very disappointing. But if you’d told me at the start of the season that we wouldn’t be in the bottom three at Christmas, I’d have snapped your hands off. So we have to take the positives. We’ve got two tough away games now, and we’ve got to start getting points away from here.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer speaks to BT Sport! “Football is easy if you have good players. They are such a great bunch and their quality is unbelievable. I arrived on Thursday; all that advice I got on text from Wazza [Wayne Rooney] was useful! He told us to enjoy our football, smile and be Man United. It’s been a tough week for them. It’s been a tough week for me, to be fair. Even though it was enjoyable, there was a lot of things swirling round our heads, so they responded fantastically. We had a little session about patterns of play, Luke supporting Anthony. It’s worked well today. The easiest thing to work on is your work-rate. Because of the occasion, maybe they made a run or two more than normal. The foundation was our centre backs. The players have the Manchester United badge on their shirt, and there’s a reason for that, they’re quality players. We take one game at a time; we’ve caught up eight or nine points before! There is still work to be done. We’ll keep plugging away, little by little.” No sense that he’s getting carried away by this result. A modest interview from a very likeable chap. United could be in good hands, you know.

Here’s United’s two-goal hero Jesse Lingard! He says life under the new boss has “been good. We played with a lot of energy and excitement. The midfield played higher, the full-backs played higher, we pegged them back.” Marcus Rashford adds that Solskjaer wants his team to “be positive and look for the gaps”, sending a warning to the rest of the division: “That was just the start today, we’re going to improve and get better at it.”

That’s quite the statement victory by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United. They’ve been little short of dreadful this season; they were sensational today. Bigger tests will come, no doubt, but that’ll have cleared a few pipes. They remain in sixth place, but suddenly they’re only eight points behind Chelsea, a top-four finish no longer quite the pipe dream it seemed last week. With home games against Huddersfield and Bournemouth to come, this could be a very happy holiday period for an instantly rejuvenated team. Cardiff meanwhile stay 17th, two points above Burnley in the first of the three relegation places and four ahead of Huddersfield and Fulham. Crystal Palace, Leicester and Tottenham await them over the festive period.

90 min +2: It’s only Cardiff, some will say. But Cardiff had won their last three matches at home.

90 min +1: That’s the first time United have scored five in the Premier League since the Sir Alex Ferguson era! The away end is bouncing by way of response.

88 min: Morrison fires a fine long pass down the left. Lindelof is forced to hack out for a corner under pressure from Zohore. De Gea claims the set piece, and is nearly shovelled into the back of the net in the Lofthouse-Gregg style. But while there’s no free kick, de Gea stands firm on his own line.

86 min: The superb Martial is replaced by Pereira, while Fellaini comes on for Matic.

84 min: Fred creams a glorious pass down the middle for Lingard, who tries to cushion a pass towards Martial. Ralls does extremely well to close some gaps in the Cardiff defence and put a stop to United’s forward momentum.

83 min: Ralls comes on for Gunnarsson.

82 min: A poor de Gea clearance ends up at the feet of Harris, who sets Cardiff on the attack. The ball’s swung in from the left by Murphy; Paterson wins a header on the penalty spot but inexplicably heads the ball away from goal!

79 min: Rashford is replaced by Fred, who will be looking to reboot his Manchester United career under the new boss.

78 min: A series of long throws by Gunnarsson from the left. Lingard eventually clears, after a fresh-air kick, and suddenly Rashford is away down the right! Cunningham slides in and takes one for the team. He’s booked, unsurprisingly.

77 min: A long ball for Zohore to chase down the left. He’s got the speed to beat Lindelof, and enters the box. It’s a tight angle, though. He gets his effort on target, but de Gea’s not to be beaten at his near post, and kicks it out for a corner. Nothing comes from that.

75 min: Zohore has a shot from 20 yards that’s blocked; Murphy bundles the rebound out of play under pressure from Lindelof. Cardiff’s dignity has kicked in, though, and they’ve been much improved in the last few minutes.

74 min: Camarasa whips the free kick to the far post. Bamba rises highest, and should really plant a header into the top right from close range. De Gea would have had no time to react. But Bamba clanks his effort wide right. A glorious chance for a consolation spurned.

73 min: Hoilett is replaced by Harris. Meanwhile a free kick for Cardiff out on the left, Lindelof having gone in high-kicking on Zohore.

71 min: Young takes the corner from the right. Jones tries to sweep a shot into the bottom right from 12 yards, but Etheridge is behind it all the way.

70 min: Pogba drops a shoulder, takes a touch inside from the left wing, and curls towards the top right. The shot’s got whip and dip, but Etheridge does extremely well to tip over the bar at full stretch.

69 min: Cardiff ping it around for a while, a much-needed period of possession. That comes to a halt when Pogba comes through the back of Hoilett out on the right. He’s very lucky to escape a booking. Camarasa takes the resulting free kick, whipping into the United box. Paterson wins the header, but can’t keep it down, and the ball flies harmlessly over the bar.

67 min: Something of a lull, which will suit Cardiff, who just want to see that clock tick round to 90.

65 min: Perhaps the best form of defence for Cardiff will be in attack. Murphy cuts in from the left and looks for the far corner. He nearly threads it through, too, but de Gea is down to turn the ball away for a corner. Nothing comes from the set piece, even though Bamba puts himself about in the physical style.

63 min: Lindelof strolls forward like Franz Beckenbauer and slides a glorious pass down the inside-right channel. Rashford is free. He draws Etheridge and should score, but the keeper is able to get a small nick on his shot and turn the ball wide of the left-hand post. Inches in that. Cardiff are looking down the barrel of a thrashing here.

62 min: From the corner, Herrera tries to screech a volley into the net from 20 yards. It dribbles out of play apologetically, miles to the left of goal. Not quite up there with his first-half strike.

61 min: Pogba drives into the area down the left. He loses control of the ball, but it breaks to Shaw, whose first-time shot from the edge of the box is deflected out for a corner. Before that can be taken, Cardiff switch Arter for Zohore.

59 min: Young’s delivery isn’t all that. Cardiff clear their lines easily enough. “Nice to see Solskjaer getting a good result in Cardiff at last,” quips Matt Dony, because somebody had to.

58 min: Gunnarsson has made quite a few fouls today, and finally he goes in the book for obstructing Lingard as he’s making off down the left. A free kick and a chance for United to load the box.

54 min: Gunnarsson is down, taking a bit of a breather. Ah, Pogba caught him with a naughty one. The Cardiff midfielder will be fine to continue, though.

52 min: United are rampant in attack, and it’s been a wee while since we’ve said that. Pogba, Martial and Rashford combine down the inside-right channel, Rashford eventually breaking clear into the box. Just as he’s about to poke past Etheridge, Cunningham suddenly appears to block Rashford’s shot. That’s fine defending. But Cardiff are hanging on.

51 min: But United come straight back at Cardiff, Rashford and Martial combining down the inside-left channel, the latter setting up the former for a shot across the face of goal. It took a nick, and it’s out for a corner that leads to nothing.

50 min: Rashford threatens to break down the inside-left channel, sent scampering away by Pogba. Bamba does extremely well to step in and clear.

49 min: Cardiff are struggling to keep hold of the ball right now. And whenever United get it, they’re knocking it around in pretty patterns.

47 min: United spend a couple of minutes pinging it about. They each look about a foot taller than the rabble who turned out at Anfield last weekend. Amazing what a little love can do. Meanwhile here’s Mike Gibbons. “I live in Oxford, and that 2-0 defeat for United at the Manor Ground in 1986 is one of those ‘I Was(n’t really) There’ games. The only event I’ve heard of with more fictitious attendees was that Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall ten years earlier.”

It’s the second half! United get it underway, the first having gone just about as well as Ole could have hoped. As for the half-time break itself, Matt Emerson would like to suggest how Jose spent it: “Alone. In the dark. In his vest and pants. Eating Doritos.” It’s a picture and no mistake. One of Gmail’s suggested auto-replies to Matt’s missive was “So cute!” The algorithms still need a bit of tweaking, I’d argue.

Half-time nostalgia.

45 min: Pogba has a dig from 25 yards. He shanks it 25 yards wide. There will be three minutes added to this first half.

43 min: A free kick for Cardiff, in the middle of the United half. Camarasa hoicks it out left. Arter hooks it back in, and the ball lands on the top of the crossbar and bounces out for a goal kick. United have been quite magnificent in this half, but Cardiff have played their part in an entertaining game.

39 min: Shaw threatens to break clear into the Cardiff box, but Manga does well to shut the door. United come straight back at the hosts, though, Lingard sashaying in from the left and whistling a low shot straight down Etheridge’s throat.

35 min: It’s all United. Pogba drives down the left and flicks the ball off Gunnarsson for another corner. Young hits it long for Herrera, the pair trying to replicate the famous Beckham-Scholes one-two against Bradford back in the day. Nope. As Cardiff clear, Shaw lunges in late on Murphy and is properly booked.

33 min: Young threatens down the right. Bamba is forced to clear for a corner. Cardiff are all over the shop as they try to defend it, Martial nearly prodding home at the far post, Morrison hooking away just in time.

31 min: Cardiff win a corner on the left, Murphy earning it off Herrera. It proves a non-event, though Murphy comes straight back at United down the left and reaches the byline. Unfortunately for the hosts, Murphy flashes an over-excitable cross high over de Gea and away from danger.

27 min: Rashford runs into the back of Cunningham. It’s a common or garden free kick, but the Cardiff fans explode in anger anyway. Hey, it’s panto season. There’s a fine atmosphere in the stadium, both sets of fans giving it plenty.

25 min: From that, Young fizzes a ball through the six-yard box. Jones can’t quite get on the end of it. United’s bright start continues apace.

24 min: Rashford is barged to the turf by Gunnarsson. Young takes the free kick, out on the left touchline. He looks for Pogba at the far post; Bamba does very well to eyebrow the ball out for a corner.

23 min: Phil Jones goes marauding down the left wing. It’s a new era OK.

21 min: Bamba strips the ball from Lingard in the centre circle. He romps upfield and has Murphy in acres on the left. There’s no United defender covering that half of the field at all! Just like the second half at Anfield last weekend. But Bamba doesn’t see the pass and is eventually dispossessed. Martial goes up the other end, crossing from the left. Rashford’s snapshot is blocked well by Cunningham.

20 min: United are snapping into quite a lot of tackles, closing down a fair bit of space. It’s a conspicuous change in approach.

18 min: Lindelof turns back down the United right and very nearly plays himself into a bit of trouble, with Murphy and Arter hovering around. He eventually does very well to slip a pass back to de Gea, who blooters clear.

16 min: Paterson is back on his feet and by the looks of it he’s good to continue. Shaw’s back into the action as well; it’s all good to see. The game restarts, and Martial skins Manga down the left again. He cuts back in the hope of finding Rashford, but Camarasa has read the danger well.

14 min: Murphy makes good down the left and his low cross is hacked out by Jones. Centre stage again for Gunnarsson, who flings in one of those long throws. In the heat of an aerial battle, Shaw and Paterson nut each other in the full-on style. Paterson has come off the worst, and is lying on the turf looking very groggy indeed, a large ice pack pressed to his forehead. A long break in play.

12 min: Martial’s dribble down the left earns a corner off Manga. Young’s delivery is smacked clear by the head of Bamba. “I feel that, on the basis of these ten minutes, United have found their permanent manager and can bring their search to a close immediately,” writes Peter Raleigh. “What club do I support? I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

10 min: “I could never figure why Mourinho didn’t give Martial/Rashford/Lingard a run as a front trident similar to Liverpool’s,” writes Hubert O’Hearn. “So I give Solskjaer top marks already for satisfying my curiosity. My suspicion is that the experiment will work out very, very well.” The early signs are certainly good. Though not everything will be fixed immediately, of course. Jones makes a half-arsed clearing header, and is thankful that Hoilett’s attempt to latch onto the loose ball and move towards the area is similarly clumsy.

8 min: Lingard clumsily barges Gunnarsson to the ground, 25 yards out. Murphy looks to plant the free kick into the top right, but it’s always high and wide. A small foothold in the game for Cardiff, though, after United’s blistering start.

6 min: Shaw robs a dithering Hoilett near the centre circle. Rashford goes tearing towards the Cardiff box. The move eventually breaks down, but United are on the front foot alright. They’re swarming around their opponents in the new-fangled pressing style. A penny for Jose’s thoughts right now.

4 min: A suggestion that the free kick might have taken a nick off Paterson en route to the goal. But still, what a hit. In the stands, Ed Woodward smiles broadly, in full cat-cream mode.

2 min: United ping it around the middle of the park awhile. There are already signs that they’ll have a more proactive attitude under the new regime, with Shaw and Young pushing up high on the wings.

Cardiff get the party started! The ball’s immediately launched long. Some head tennis, and then a chance for Gunnarsson to Delap a throw into the United box from the right. The ball’s flung into the mixer, and Jones passes the early aerial test.

The teams are out! Cardiff City are in their famous blue shirts, while Manchester United wear their storied red. A wonderful atmosphere in the stadium, a Christmas party in blue. We’ll be off in a minute!

A very cheery Neil Warnock speaks, and delivers a masterclass in expectation management. “We’re looking forward to this. We worked our socks off last year, against all the odds, to get here, so we’ll enjoy it. We’ll give it our best shot, that’s all the lads can do. They’ve been super. I know there will be players out to prove things on their side; we’ve been a bit unlucky in that respect following on from Southampton and Leicester, with the circumstances around those games, but we just have to get on with it. The crowd will be important, and we can’t concede early. We’ve got to be on our game. We think there are weaknesses and we’ve got to do our best to find them. It’s fair to say that if you look at the teamsheets, we’re miles apart, but that’s football, and you never know what’s around the corner.”

Pre-match reading. Here’s our man Ed Aarons on some of the most memorable caretaker reigns of recent times. Contains quite a lot of Chelsea and Newcastle United, as you’d expect.

In a pre-recorded interview with BT Sport, Manchester United’s new interim manager says he was on the receiving end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s famous hairdryer three times. “Sometimes you need it,” he explains with a smile, accompanied by a small shudder because, well, experiences like that never totally leave you. “You can’t get too complacent, too comfortable. But you want to be confident. It’s a privilege to have that talent [gestures towards players] and for them to be able to express themselves.”

Wayne Rooney is BT Sport’s special guest this evening. He’s asked whether getting shot of Jose Mourinho was the right idea. He says yes. “To be a successful football club, you need everything to be right, to be happy. That rubs off on the players. The relationships between some of the staff and the players wasn’t great. But the players are smiling again. It’s a good move for the club, and it’ll be fascinating to see how Ole sets the team up and how they play today.” He talks intelligently, does Rooney; he’ll make a good pundit one day if he fancies it.

Neil Warnock makes one change to the Cardiff City starting XI named in the 3-2 defeat at Watford last Saturday. Greg Cunningham replaces Joe Bennett.

The first Manchester United team picked by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has four changes to the one named for the 3-1 loss at Anfield last Sunday. Eric Bailly, Diogo Dalot, Matteo Darmian and Romelu Lukaku are replaced by Phil Jones, Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial and ... cue drum roll and fanfare ... Paul Pogba.