Manchester United will sit sixth in the Premier League at Christmas after three successive wins brought festive cheer to an otherwise frustrating campaign for the Red Devils.

Jose Mourinho’s men won their first three games of the new season back in August, yet then slumped to just two wins in nine, and indeed fell behind in the title race.

However, after a run of three straight draws, United have finally recorded some wins, with successes over Tottenham, Crystal Palace, and West Brom in the lead up to Christmas exactly what Mourinho needed from his side ahead of the second half of the season.

His side are sixth in the league, but are only three points behind fifth place Tottenham and four behind Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, with the latter losing their last two league games against Everton and Manchester City.

Nonetheless, United’s improved performances and results will give the Old Trafford faithful renewed optimism ahead of their Boxing Day clash with Sunderland, when they welcome former boss David Moyes back to Manchester.

In what has been a testing first half of the season for the Red Devils, we thought we’d take a look back on their campaign thus far, and evaluate which players have performed well, and which haven’t been good enough so far.

Thus, here are the United players which make the naughty or nice list this Christmas…

NICE – Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Ten goals in the nine games leading up to Christmas, it’s been a pretty good start to life in Manchester for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The Swedish striker moved to Old Trafford on a free transfer in the summer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, and he immediately hit the ground running with five goals in his first five United matches.

However, the 35-year-old then went on a barren run of just one goal in ten games, and he was widely criticised for missing several chances up top for the Red Devils, most notably in their 0-0 draw with Burnley in October.

Nonetheless, Ibrahimovic has been in scintillating form in recent times, and netted a brace against West Brom last weekend to take his tally to 15 in all competitions for United.

Keeping him fit and firing will be the key to United’s success this season.

NAUGHTY – Marouane Fellaini

United fans won’t want reminding too much about Marouane Fellaini’s influence in recent weeks.

The former Everton man came off the bench against his ex-employers a few weeks ago with the task to help deal with the Toffees’ aerial threat, yet what he actually did was give away a penalty for a clumsy foul on Idrissa Gueye.

Although he has had the odd good game under Mourinho, like against Liverpool, Fellaini’s recent displays haven’t been particularly great, and it’d be a surprise if he is still on United’s books come February 1.

NICE – Ander Herrera

Arguably United’s best player so far this season, Ander Herrera has given Mourinho a much-needed boost in a midfield area the Portuguese boss was struggling to sort out at the start of the campaign.

The 27-year-old was in and out of the side at the beginning of the season as Mourinho attempted to find his best fit in that position, yet a few decent displays followed by a man-of-the-match performance against Liverpool saw him become United’s first-choice in that defensive midfield position.

And, since then, he has gone from strength to strength, be it alongside Michael Carrick or Paul Pogba in that role.

Herrera is dependable defensively as well as a threat going forward, illustrated by his three assists in his last eight games, but it’s his guile and tenacity which makes him so difficult to play against.

It has been an excellent season from the Spanish international thus far.

NAUGHTY – Memphis Depay

Memphis Depay has not had the effect at United that many expected him to have when he joined the club last year.

There was much anticipation following his fine displays for PSV Eindhoven and the Dutch national team, but he hasn’t recreated anything close to that at Old Trafford.

A couple of goals in their Champions League group games last year is about as good as it’s got for the 22-year-old, who has in turn been restricted to just eight appearances and one start so far this season, and that was against Northampton Town in the League Cup.

His United career is as good as over, and he is likely to leave the club next month.

NICE – Paul Pogba

It has taken a bit of time, but Paul Pogba is beginning to look like the world-beating midfielder we saw at Juventus for Manchester United.

The French international initially struggled in his first few games back in England, but has since acclimatised to the demands of the league, mainly down to finding his best position in this United team.

Yes he’ll want to improve on a tally of three goals and two assists, but he has regularly been one of the better United performers over the last few weeks.

Pogba’s influence in their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace highlighted the difference between having a good player and a great player, and it looks like more performances of that ilk will follow suit in 2017.