Exposed: Man United's desperate attempt to sign PSG star

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly missed out on signing PSG’s Idrissa Gueye last summer transfer window, as Manchester United desperately sought a defensive-midfielder.

The legendary Norwegian was hoping to inject some steel into his engine room in order to provide protection to a leaky back four.

According to the Daily Mail, Solskjaer was let down by the board in his search for a defensive midfielder after they failed to land Gueye’s signature.

United’s recruitment negotiator Matt Judge turned to the former Everton man after being priced out of a move for West Ham’s Declan Rice.

Judge had hoped that PSG’s numerous summer signings would mean Gueye would be willing to switch sides in fear of a lack of minutes.

However, after a few meetings, the Red Devils couldn’t sign the tenacious midfielder because Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, and Jesse Lingard all ended up staying.

Fans had hoped if Rice couldn’t be signed that the club would move on to players such as Wolves’ Ruben Neves or Brighton’s Yves Bissouma.

Even Eduardo Camavinga was a dream signing before he completed a transfer to Real Madrid so supporters never understood the lack of investment.

After spending big on Jadon Sancho, and bringing in Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo, United seemingly didn’t have any money left in the budget.

It appeared as though sales would dictate any further purchases and since no one else left, it meant no one was brought in despite the desperate need for a defensive midfielder.

Gueye wouldn’t have been anyone’s first choice but his signing would’ve been accepted as a temporary measure, especially given how well he’s done with PSG since leaving the Premier League.

At 32 years old he would hardly be the long-term solution but fans were desperate for some improvement in the middle of the park.

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United youngsters make two goal comeback to grab draw - Match report

In a busy day yesterday for Manchester United with all three sides in action, the u18s took on the struggling Derby County.

Derby started the match with high energy, pressing United’s backline and not allowing them to play out from the back.

The first big chance of the match fell for Derby after a series of lucky bounces. First a switching ball out to the right was intercepted by Alejandro Garnacho but it fell right into the path of a Derby forward.

Hitting a shot from 18 yards, a deflection left the ball bouncing to the back post and with bodies flying it ended up in the back of the net off the foot of Derby’s Zion Dixon.

United looked to hit back quickly through Garnacho after receiving a square pass from Sam Murray, the Spaniard flicked the ball up and spun hitting it on the volley. But it blazed just past the bottom corner and into the side netting.

Garnacho was causing trouble again when he ran at Derby’s defence and drew a foul. Taking the resulting free kick, a dipping and curling effort was just tipped over the bar by the keeper.

It was beginning to look like the Garnacho show as he was played in down the left again by Sam Mather. Cutting in he struck from 20 yards into the bottom left corner but the keeper did really well to get down and palm behind for a corner.

The ref’s whistle shortly after marked half time, with the score going in 1-0 for Derby despite United looking the better side.

Garnacho continued his efforts in the second half, as Sam Mather jinked into the box and played him into the centre but his effort was well saved again.

But ultimately, the second half didn’t start as planned, with Derby doubling their lead in the 51st minute. A poor pass out from Radek Vitek saw Omari Forson lose possession and Zion Dixon through to score again.

With desperation setting in, Garnacho lunged into a challenge after a loose touch and picked up a yellow card.

After winning another free kick with clever footwork from the Spaniard, Mather stepped up this time and curled the ball towards the top right corner but the stretching keeper was there to save.

Manni Norkett saw his first opportunity in the 76th minute as he was played into the box but was taken out before he could get his shot off.

The ref blew and pointed to the spot and after some discussion with the linesman of whether it was offside, the penalty was awarded.

Norkett stepped up to take smashed it into the bottom right corner to pull one back.

Still pushing for the equaliser in the dying stages of the match, Garnacho burst through the middle with a 40 yard mazy run before slipping in Ethan Ennis to his left. The new signing from Liverpool calmly dinked the ball over the rushing keeper to draw the match level.

Into injury time and Garnacho was still leading the charge. He burst through Derby’s midfield but had his shirt almost torn off as he was pulled down. A slight flail of the arm off the Derby player’s leg saw an almost comical dive fool the referee and Garnacho saw his second yellow of the match, putting a sour note on the end of a great performance.

The final whistle was blown shortly after with the match ending 2-2.

United: Vitek, Ogunneye (Nolan 76), Bennett, Fredricson, Murray, Oyedele, Forson (Kambwala 62), Mather, Garnacho, Ennis, Norkett

Unused Subs: Hanbury, Moorhouse, Berry

The post Academy Match Report: Derby County u18s 2-2 Manchester United u18s appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Major dilemma: Solskjaer solved one problem only to create a bigger one

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a problem to solve on his hands as much as fans were happy to see the win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The legendary Norwegian oversaw a crucial 3-0 victory that has essentially kept him in the job but there didn’t seem to be any plans for the future.

Ronaldo and Bruno are primary options and both of them tend to start the vast majority of games. Ronaldo, though, will inevitably get rest. Cavani and Rashford will get game time but there's not much for Martial, Greenwood, Sancho, Lingard and VDB. Having Sancho in there is mad.

— UtdArena (@utdarena) October 31, 2021

Along with the eagle-eyed fan above, The Independent also wrote a piece saying: “Does this work, then? Is this formation the device with which Solskjaer salvages his United career? While it earned United a much-needed result, it does not feel particularly suited to the squad.

“Rashford scored the third but only after being introduced as a late substitute. Mason Greenwood went unused. The baffling lack of any plan for Jadon Sancho persists. These are United’s three best young attacking talents. This system does not have a natural role for them.”

The win saved Solskjaer’s job for the time being but it didn’t actually resolve some of the core issues or even the main concerns fans had with him.

Competition for places is natural and expected at United but not if it excludes some of the team’s best talents, some of whom the legendary Norwegian brought in himself.

Along with the Tweet above, Paul Pogba could be added as a number 10 which would only further prove the problem.

Solskjaer naturally opted for a defensive team and a defensive formation vs Tottenham Hotspur and was rewarded with a clean-sheet.

The home team aren’t exactly awe-inspiring themselves but the most important thing was to get the win.

However, United’s abundance of attacking options means there’s no way Solskjaer survives in the long-term if he continues with such a formation or such a team.

Sancho alone is a dilemma to resolve as no manager should spend over £70m on a player only to not even have a plan for him, let alone build around one of the most exciting prospects in Europe.

The post Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Manchester United manager needs long-term solution appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Missing: 79 goals Man United fan-favourite looks out of Solskjaer's plans

Manchester United star Anthony Martial‘s wife has revealed the real reason why he’s been missing from the first-team squad recently.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s men travelled to London to take on Tottenham Hotspur without the French striker and the team managed to grab a much-needed win.

🗣 Anthony Martial's wife speaks on why he has been out recently. [IG: melaniemartialdc] pic.twitter.com/kwDYlu37f9

— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) October 30, 2021

Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, and Marcus Rashford were all on the scoresheet as United ran out 3-0 winners, with hardly anyone missing Martial.

The former AS Monaco man’s future appears to be uncertain at the moment as he’s struggled to impress for quite some time now.

Martial was initially Solskjaer’s go to man when the manager first came in and arguably had the best season in his career to date.

However, his form has since tailed off horribly and he’s looked a shadow of himself long enough that some fans were even open to the idea of losing him last summer.

There is a theory floating around that Martial doesn’t do well with direct competition for his position and instead thrives on being the sole striker for the club.

The argument is backed by how the pacy forward struggled when Romelu Lukaku came to the club, rediscovered his form when the Belgian left, and then lost it once more when Cavani was signed.

With Cristiano Ronaldo now another direct comeptitor for the striker position, it’s difficult to see Martial having a part to play this season.

Given Martial’s wife’s claim that he was never injured, it seems Solskjaer has lost all faith in him and chose not to even include him on the bench.

He could yet fight his way back into the team but for the time being he’s a long way off from being a relied upon starting XI star.

The post Anthony Martial: Manchester United star’s wife reveals crucial information appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

'Awesome performances': these two players will be transformed by United's new formation

Were Manchester United that good or was it Tottenham Hotspur that were that bad? That is an important question after the former’s 3-0 victory over the latter in North London yesterday.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer changed to a 3-5-2 formation that looked more solid and compact.

Spurs did not get a single shot on target against the Red Devils in the entire match, which, no matter how well an away team plays, must speak to the struggles of the home side at any level.

Would the real Harry Kane go 90 minutes without a shot on target?

How lucky Solskjaer was that when on the brink of dismissal, he was able to take his team to face another manager who is in a similar position.

And let’s face it, Spurs were awful. Booed off the pitch, it is hard to see how Espirito Santo can keep his job much longer.

As for Solskjaer, stiffer tests will come up this week against Atalanta and Manchester City, although he may just have got lucky there as well. Atalanta dropped points at home to Lazio yesterday in a gruelling and energy-sapping game and City must be rattled after their shock 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace.

Two wins will probably see the great Solskini escape from another impossible situation.

In fairness, no matter how poor Spurs were, United did play better in the 3-5-2. There were two important keys to this; the extra centre back took pressure off Scott McTominay and Fred in terms of defensive duties and the two up front allowed Bruno Fernandes to drop a little deeper and take pressure off the same pair to produce offensively.

The duo received immense praise for their performances after the game on social media, with comments such as ‘awesome performances’ being typical, but it could be argued that a lot was sacrificed to help them cope.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was also praised on social media for his performance at wing back, but how he will fare in that role against better opposition remains to be seen.

Can we get some appreciation for Mctominay and AWB tonight! Awesome performances 👏 Varane truly amazing too #mufc #mctominay #AWB #Varane

— Ad (@scrappypixel) October 30, 2021

He has his detractors and I’m not usually convinced, but I thought Fred was excellent yesterday. #mufc #utfr 🔴⚪️⚫️

— ダン 🌈🇪🇺🔴⚪️⚫️ (@timmytinkers) October 31, 2021

There has been a lot of post-match discussion in the press about whether Solskjaer can or should make this 3-5-2 his default formation from here on in. For one thing, he has assembled a squad with four or five top class wingers who would struggle for game time.

However, perhaps an equally important question is whether this individual result against a side with its own struggles has hidden the fact that a number of players in the United side are not good enough at the moment and have needed a formation change to compensate for their frailties.

The post Manchester United’s 3-5-2: Is it papering over the cracks? appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Manchester United u23s face bitter blow defeat despite good performance - Player ratings

Manchester United’s u23s fell at the hands of a bitter last minute goal to lose 1-0 despite deserving at least a point on the day. Here are our player ratings for the match:

(A score of 6 is around average)

Matej Kovar – 7 – Made a number of good saves on the day, particularly in the second half where he saw more action but always looked in control of the situation. Continues to show his ability on the ball as he comes from the new school of keepers who would fancy themselves as midfielders.

Marc Jurado – 5 – Didn’t get involved going forward much and found himself run ragged my Spurs’ Dilan Makanday who’s direct running proved too difficult to handle.

Teden Mengi – 5.5 – Should have scored in the first half from a corner when he was wide open in the box but volleyed over from 10 yards. Was decent defensively but tends to get caught offguard by pacy runners at times.

Bjorn Hardley – 6.5 – Showed some impressive passing from the back with a good range playing incisive curling passes down the left. Was also the strongest defensively of the backline.

Charlie Wellens – 6 – Had a good first half handling the unorthodox left back role well and linked up with Hansen-Aaroen and Elanga despite not getting down the outside like he typically would on the right. The second half saw some troubles defensively though as Makanday switched sides and Wellens couldn’t handle his running either.

Martin Svidersky – 6.5 – Was solid overall and put in some great tackles. Provided a good base to the midfield and was comfortable in possession.

Isak Hansen-Aaroen – 7.5 – A controlling performance in the first half, he finds time and space in the midfield like no other and almost plays the game at his own pace. Was involved in some fantastic link ups and played a few defence-splitting passes which deserved to end in goals. Dwindled in the later stages as he tired and the only question is his dynamism to battle in a deeper midfield role but that should come with age.

Amad Diallo – 6.5 – Not involved as much as he’d like as most of the play went down the opposite side but he showed his quality when he did get on the ball. Played a couple incisive passes and had some good dribbling. But it was clear he didn’t have much experience with his teammates as he didn’t get involved in their short quick passing and played more individualistic football. Often times he held onto the ball for too long.

Shola Shoretire – 7.5 – Played some fantastic football on the day and was carving through Spurs’ defence with his movement and quick passing. Was unlucky not to grab a goal as he hit the post after some sensational team play.

Anthony Elanga – 7 – Caused a lot of trouble with his pace cutting in from the left and showed some very intricate play in tight spaces in the Spurs area. Another who was unlucky not to be involved in a goal for all of his good play.

Joe Hugill – 6.5 – Drifted wide left to join up in the link up play and did well to hold up the ball and open spaces. Could have possibly been more clinical in certain situations but with more luck he could have easily been involved in a couple of goals.

Substitutes

Charlie McNeill – 6 – Spurs were more on the front foot when he came on so didn’t get as much service as he liked but he had one chance which he smashed into the side netting.

Kobbie Mainoo – N/A – Not involved for long but disappointingly his failure to clear led to Spurs’ goal.

Read our match report for the game here.

The post Player ratings u23s: Tottenham Hotspur u23s 1-0 Manchester United u23s appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Amad Diallo features and Shoretire shines as u23s face undeserved last minute defeat - Match Report

While the first team were preparing for their big match against Tottenham, the u23s were taking on Spurs themselves in Stevenage at Lamex Stadium.

Tied in the table, it was set to be an important encounter for both sides in their fights towards the top of the table.

The home side started the action with an early effort from Marcel Lavinier but Matej Kovar was up to the test.

United came into their around 20 minutes in when Shola Shoretire looked to have won a penalty for the visitors but the ref adjudged the foul to have been just outside the box.

Isak Hansen-Aaroen played a defence splitting pass for Shoretire running through who knocked it by the keeper but was dragged down by a defender while doing so.

It was just the beginning as there would then be a barrage of attacks from United, largely down the left hand side with some fantastic football from Hansen-Aaroen, Shoretire, Elanga, and Hugill.

Hansen-Aaroen played a clever give and go with Anthony Elanga to open space in the box but Tottenham’s last ditch defending got a block onto Hansen-Aaroen’s shot.

Amad Diallo got into the action in the 27th minute with a well picked out pass to find Joe Hugill in the box who cleverly laid it off for Elanga but the shot was to be blocked again.

A minute later and the free flowing champagne football was still on show as Elanga worked some intricate passing with Hugill before finding Shoretire in the centre. The midfielder’s effort would agonisingly come off the right post though.

Taking turns playing provider, Shoretire then played Hugill in behind but Tottenham’s defense was proving impenetrable as Hugill’s shot was blocked over the bar for a corner.

The resulting corner saw Amad curl in to find Teden Mengi wide open from 10 yards out, but the captain would blaze over the bar with a powerful volley.

In the 34th minute, Hansen-Aaroed shifted the play out the right to Amad. The Ivorian produced a teasing ball in behind which Elanga looked to latch onto and be free but the sliding Spurs defender just nicked it away and out for a throw.

After a 20 minutes spell of domination from United it was almost unbelievable that they had not scored from any of their chances.

The final five minutes saw Spurs regain some possession but they couldn’t create any openings resorting to a long range knuckle ball effort but Kovar watched its flight closely and did well to catch.

The second half opened with a quick long range effort from Amad who unleashed and unexpected effort which caught the Spurs keeper wrong footed but he was able to scramble across and tip the shot wide.

A rejuvenated looking Spurs side got back into the game though later into the second half, largely through Dilan Makanday with some direct running.

Marc Jurado was left twisted inside out as Makanday ran past him and hit a low effort which was deflected causing Kovar to have to push past his post for a corner.

A chance opened up for United down the right as Jurado overlapped into acres of space but Amad ignored the Spaniard, electing to come inside but his left footed effort was blocked.

Charlie McNeill came on for Hugill in the 66th minute and soon after was played in on the left by Elanga. At a tight angle, McNeill unleashed a powerful shot which rippled the net, but unfortunately was on the wrong side of the post.

After switching sides, Makanday proved troublesome for Charlie Wellens as well, winning a corner after Kovar pushed his effort wide again.

In the dying seconds of the match, Spurs crossed in from the right and a fluffed clearance from Mainoo saw the ball roll to Spurs’ danger man Makanday and he made no mistake this time slotting into the bottom left corner.

With only a minute left, the final whistle was soon blown and the match ended 1-0 leaving the United players bitterly disappointed after feeling like they should have got something from their performance.

United: Kovar, Jurado, Wellens, Mengi (c), Hardley, Svidersky, Diallo, Hansen-Aaroen (Mainoo 84), Hugill (McNeil 66), Shoretire, Elanga

Substitutes (not used): Mee, Hoogewerf

Read our player ratings for the match here.

The post Academy Match Report: Tottenham Hotspur u23s 1-0 Manchester United u23s appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Sensational numbers: Unstoppable Man United star taking the league by storm

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes played his part in the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and deserves more credit for his playmaking ability than most rival fans give him.

Th Portuguese magician is often seen as a goalscorer or even just a penalty taker, with most choosing to ignore his actual ability on the ball.

Bruno Fernandes since his Premier League debut [competition rank]:

162 chances created [🥇]
130 open play chances created [🥇]
22 assists [🥇]
19 open play assists [🥇]

Came from Sporting like Cristiano… 🎶 pic.twitter.com/28ON9UJDvc

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 30, 2021

Most chances created in the Premier League this season:

37 — Bruno Fernandes
36 —
35 —
34 —
33 —
32 —
31 —
30 —
29 —
28 —
27 —
26 — Alexander-Arnold & Grealish

The league’s best playmaker. 🎩🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/Fc6lsv5lwV

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 30, 2021

The stats above show he’s far better at playmaking than many like to admit and is a testament to how complete he is as a number 10.

The variety in the type of chances he creates is also praiseworthy and it shows why he’s been such a talisman for Manchester United since joining.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has built his team around Bruno and the statistics above prove why it was a valid decision to make.

With United now having an abundance of attacking talents to choose from, some may wonder whether that’s still the right call.

Nonetheless, Bruno deserves more recognition and respect from neutrals and rival fans alike as he’s easily proven he’s a force to be reckoned with.

The Premier League is also filled with some of the world’s best creative talent so for the former Sporting Lisbon man to still put in the numbers he has and in an underperforming team, it again cements his status as one of the best in his position.

Some fans have called for Bruno to play deeper in order to involve him in play more and it’s certainly a decision to consider.

Others have argued it would reduce his impact, especially in a goalscoring sense, and so Solskjaer has a big call to make.

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'Badly missed': Man United fans welcome back heroic star after Tottenham win

Manchester United fans rightly praised Raphael Varane for his sensational role in the solid 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s men weren’t at their best or playing beautiful football but clearly got a respectable result away from home.

Special mention to @raphaelvarane today… calming influence! #MUFC

— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) October 30, 2021

Raphael Varane was superb tonight. It was great to have him back and to get a well needed clean sheet 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/20JX8CVbBR

— Aidan Walsh 🔰 (@AidanWalshMUFC) October 30, 2021

Varane comes back and we finally keep a clean sheet. My CB

— Trey (@UTDTrey) October 30, 2021

Varane back and we keep a clean sheet? Coincidence? I think not.

— Therese 🇳🇴 (@ThereseUTD) October 30, 2021

Varane was class today too, such a calm and composed figure at the back for us, he was badly missed, good response from Solskjaer today a hell of a lot more to do though.

— Al Foran (@ImpressionistAL) October 30, 2021

Still can't believe we signed Varane for £34 million, how fucking good is this guy? Ridiculously great.

— Devils of United 🔰 (@DevilsOfUnited) October 30, 2021

Varane’s presence alone makes a massive difference in an otherwise shaky defence so the hope is he doesn’t get injured again.

The talented Frenchman truly hasn’t needed an adaptation period at all, which is further proof of his undoubted class.

His ability to make the difficult look easy means not too many feel he’s one of the best in the world but it’s clear for United fans that he has been a bargain buy.

With Solskjaer’s men struggling for clean-sheets, the hope is that his return will provide the foundation needed to secure more victories over the coming weeks.

Varane’s partnership with Harry Maguire hasn’t quite reached Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic levels but supporters want that to happen.

There’s no real reason why it shouldn’t work out but there are fans who don’t believe in the England international and it hasn’t helped that he’s had a difficult start to the season.

With the pressure off his shoulders with Varane’s return, perhaps United’s defence can collectively improve from now on.

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How a 70-year-old forward line demolished Spurs on their own turf

Manchester United’s resounding 3-0 victory against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening was as unexpected as it was impressive.

With manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s job reportedly on the line, a hard battle was expected but United’s 70-year-old forward line ran rings around their junior counterparts.

Football statisticians Opta Joe point out that: ‘Cristiano Ronaldo setting up Edinson Cavani is the first time two players aged 34 and over have combined for a Premier League goal for Man Utd since Paul Scholes assisted Ryan Giggs vs Newcastle in August 2010. Feet.’

34+ – Cristiano Ronaldo setting up Edinson Cavani is the first time two players aged 34 and over have combined for a Premier League goal for Man Utd since Paul Scholes assisted Ryan Giggs vs Newcastle in August 2010. Feet. pic.twitter.com/fgC9CrKgkL

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 30, 2021

At 36 years old, Ronaldo continues to set records for United individually.

The same outlet tweeted:

‘At 36 years and 267 days old, Man Utd’s Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest player to both score and assist a goal in a Premier League game since Didier Drogba in December 2014 – who was also 36y 267d and also did so against Spurs. Spooky.’

At 36 years and 267 days old, Man Utd’s Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest player to both score and assist a goal in a Premier League game since Didier Drogba in December 2014 – who was also 36y 267d and also did so against Spurs. Spooky.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 30, 2021

Many fans took to social media to celebrate the success of ‘the oldies’:

‘A front 2 of 70 years between them for @ManUtd showing how it’s done. Who said you’ll win nothing with old fogies?

‘Experience always matters.’

A front 2 of 70 years between them for @ManUtd showing how it’s done. Who said you’ll win nothing with old fogies?

Experience always matter. #MUFC #TOTMUN pic.twitter.com/tRxXP5cpuO

— Arnab⚡ (@UtdArnabx) October 30, 2021

‘Combined age of 70 years! Not finished, but eternal.’

Combine age of 70 years! Not finished, but eternal #TOTMUN #OleOut #MUFC https://t.co/fX1Z2MhnuV

— Navin (@utdsidnav) October 30, 2021

It would not be a surprise to see the same 3-5-2 formation with the same pair up front for the Red Devils against Atalanta on Tuesday and perhaps against Manchester City on Saturday. It looked like a formidable combination.

It was, quite simply, a masterclass from the experienced pair.

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'Box-to-box brilliance': Man United star crucial in Tottenham hammering

Manchester United star Scott McTominay can feel pleased himself after a brilliantly fought performance vs Tottenham Hotspur.

The tenacious Scot will rightly feel he played a crucial part in the 3-0 away win in a match that will buy Ole Gunnar Solskjaer some time.

Scott McTominay’s game by numbers vs. Spurs:

95% pass accuracy
8 attempted tackles
4 successful tackles
3 attempted dribbles
3 successful dribbles
3 attempted long passes
3 successful long passes
3 fouls suffered
2 clearances

Box-to-box brilliance. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 pic.twitter.com/fzJFF0L2UL

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 30, 2021

The legendary Norwegian’s position as manager is under threat after an underwhelming start to the season which culminated in last week’s embarrassing 5-0 loss to Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Many expected Solskjaer to be sacked but a lack of planning from the board meant he kept his job for now.

United hadn’t anticipated the former Molde man would underperform and even supported him in the summer transfer window as well as handed him a new contract.

This meant the board didn’t have a plan B in place and so hadn’t really looked into hiring other managers or keeping an eye on replacements.

That’s certainly changed now with names such as Antonio Conte and Brendan Rodgers cropping up but the win against Tottenham will keep Solskjaer’s hopes alive.

McTominay played alongside Fred with a back three of Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, and Raphael Varane so it’s safe to say the team was well protected.

It meant the Red Devils kept a clean-sheet for the first time in a long time and it was certainly needed all things considered.

McTominay’s abilities off the ball mean he’s needed in games like this and moments like this, and he’s definitely repaid Solskjaer for the faith put in him.

It will be interesting to see if he keeps his place in the future when United eventually move back to a more attacking formation.

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Solskjaer breathes a sigh of relief as experienced stars lead United to victory

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can breathe a sigh of relief tonight as his Manchester United side bounced back to claim a 3-0 victory away at Spurs.

Spurs came out fighting, pressing right from kick off, both teams had a point to prove and that was clear from the start.

Son had the first chance of the game with a shot from outside the box, it deflected wide off Fred but Spurs could do nothing with the corner.

A half chance for Edison Cavani followed at the other end as he got in front of Dier but could only head wide. Moments later he had another shot in the box but it was blocked. United were showing more ambition than in the previous game.

For all the scrutiny they received after the defeat last weekend, Shaw and Wan-Bissaka looked spritely in the opening fifteen minutes, delivering good crosses into the box.

Both Shaw and Maguire picked up yellow cards in the opening half an hour. Maguire’s led to a Spurs free kick on the edge of the area but it was hit straight into the wall.

After Son missed a sitter from just a few yards out, Spurs found the back of the net from a corner but luckily for the Reds it was ruled out for offside.

United’s best chance of the half came from an unlikely source as Fred struck it hard from outside the box forcing Lloris into a save.

The visitors made the breakthrough when their two Portuguese internationals linked up perfectly. A lovely delivery from Fernandes floated to the feet of Ronaldo who had made a run round the back and slotted it home first time from a tight angle. ‘Viva Ronaldo’ sang the away fans!

United started the second half on the front foot, Ronaldo made a brilliant run and fired an absolute rocket past Lloris but the flag went up.

Spurs grew into the game after that, dominating possession, pushing United back.

However, it was United again who perforated the Spurs defence. Fernades cheekily nicking the ball close to the halfway line, laid it off to Ronaldo who saw Cavani’s run and once the ball was at his feet, there was no way he was going to miss.

United’s star man Ronaldo was taken off not long after, making way for Marcus Rashford, who was keen to impress after being dropped to the bench after the Liverpool defeat.

Spurs responded though as they caught Cavani in possession and launched a counter attack, but the hosts couldn’t capitalise.

Instead it was super-sub Marcus Rashford who got the next goal after a perfectly timed run saw him one-on-one with Lloris, and he happily dinked it past the keeper in the 86th minute.

Though Spurs threatened at times, those moments were fleeting whilst United seemed to play more together as a team. The experienced players kickstarted the attack whilst the youngsters finished it off.

Team: De Gea, Lindelof, Varane, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Fred, Shaw, Fernandes (Matic 76), Cavani (Lingard 82), Ronaldo (Rashford 71)

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Brilliant United put Solskjaer's woes behind him - with these two stars shining brightest

Manchester United won convincingly this evening against Spurs in London. Here are our player ratings for the game.

(A score of 6 is around average.)

David de Gea 6 – Had little to do, so impressive was his defence. Or was it so bad were Spurs? Who cares.

Victor Lindelof 7.5 – Flawless in the new back three.

Raphael Varane 8 – Brought a calmness and authority to the previously flailing defence. Excellent performance.

Harry Maguire 7 – No mistakes from Maguire and looking far better in a back three.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka 6 – Performed well defensively but offered little going forward, not really a wing back.

Scott McTominay 7 – Good outing for Scott. The formation seemed to suit him.

Fred 7 – Probably the best 90 for the Brazilian this season. Nothing earth shattering, but like McTominay, seemed safer in the 3-5-2.

Luke Shaw 6 – Similar to Wan-Bissaka – good defensively but disappointing going forward.

Bruno Fernandes 9 – Superb from Fernandes. His contributions to both goals were world class. A huge reason United won this game and that Solskjaer still has a job.

Edinson Cavani 8.5 – Classy and hard-working performance from the Uruguayan. Took his goal brilliantly. Hopefully he is not badly injured.

Cristiano Ronaldo 9 – Brilliant. Took first goal superbly and a piece of brilliance made the second for Cavani.

Substitutes

Marcus Rashford 8 – Came on and scored – what more could you want?

Nemanja Matic 7.5 – Added some grit to the midfield and provided a lovely assist for Rashford.

Jesse Lingard 6 – Didn’t really influence the game much.

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Widespread reports claim this Premier League boss is United's choice to replace Solskjaer

As Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hangs onto his job by the fingernails, speculation about his possible successor has been rife.

And while most of the attention has centred around the likes of former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, former Real Madrid man Zinedine Zidane and Ajax’s Erik Ten Hag, a relatively new name has suddenly emerged from the background to occupy most of the column inches in the national press’s sports sections.

Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers.

Many had written off the Northern Irishman as a candidate because of his previous engagement with Liverpool. As The Express notes, he himself appeared to rule out the possibility, saying in 2015 ‘When you manage Liverpool, you know the Manchester United job is gone.’

But that was then, and this is now. And the fact is that The Express are swimming against the tide in their claims that he is an unlikely candidate for the job.

The Telegraph’s Jason Burt, for example, says ‘Some senior figures at Man Utd have reservations about Antonio Conte as a potential candidate.

‘Their preference, should a change be made, would still be a manager who is familiar with the Premier League and unsurprisingly there is strong interest in Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers and, to a lesser extent, Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino.’

Meanwhile, The Sun claims that Rodgers is ‘reportedly’ United’s first choice to replace the Norwegian, noting that he remained coy when asked about the rumours at his press conference yesterday.

Rodgers said: ‘My focus is always here with Leicester and developing the football club and challenging for honours.’

The Mail also claim that United are keen on the Leicester boss but believe it will be difficult to pry him away.

‘Sir Alex Ferguson – the last man to bring United a title in 2013 – is supportive of Solskjaer but continues to hanker after former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino and, ideally, United would like a British coach or at least one with Premier League experience,’ Ian Ladyman writes.

‘Someone, for example, like Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers. But the Northern Irishman has already turned down Tottenham and Newcastle. Unhelpfully, Rodgers would like the job at City when Pep Guardiola moves on.’

In many ways, Rodgers does fit the profile of the kind of manager that the United hierarchy would be more likely to appoint at this stage. But many fans would be concerned about his history at Liverpool.

It is not so much a case, as Rodgers himself said, of the rivalry being so fierce that fans couldn’t accept someone who had been at Anfield. The issue is more of his inability to bring success to Liverpool.

Some managers overachieve with average squads, but that does not necessarily make them good leaders of world class squads. In that sense, Rodgers’ experience at Liverpool suggests he could be another David Moyes, who has done wonders at the likes of Everton and West Ham but who could not command respect at United.

Whether United’s interest in the 48-year-old is real or not remains to be seen. But it is certainly a rumour that is rapidly gaining momentum in the press.

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Rock bottom: Why United’s defensive problems are even worse than they seem

Eagle-eyed observers might have noticed that defending has not been one of Manchester United’s strong suits lately.

The current campaign’s goals against record of 15 conceded leaves them joint worst among the Premier League’s top 12 clubs, with 9 conceded in the last two games alone.

And the club’s defensive fragility hasn’t been limited to this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sides have kept just one clean sheet in their last 20 games, in all competitions.

The Athletic has taken a detailed look at the manner in which United are leaking goals, to pinpoint what exactly is making them such a soft touch to play against.

Shockingly, that record of 34 against – with just one clean sheet recorded – in the past 20 games, puts them dead last among Premier League competitors.

source: The Athletic

Although the results are slightly skewed by the promoted sides’ records carrying over from the Championship, it’s still a terrible look for a club of United’s standing.

The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo has been seen in some quarters as the reason for the side’s failure to press in the attacking third.

Perhaps surprisingly then, The Athletic notes that the Red Devils’ 23.7% of presses come from attacking areas, which is about average for Premier League teams.

The article observes that almost half of United’s overall presses come from midfield which, again, is broadly comparable with their rivals.

However, it’s the uncoordinated manner of the press that is seen as the main issue.

Prior to the Liverpool game, Solskjaer made a point of saying that he expected his side to play on the front foot to “stamp our authority on the game”.

This hint at a high-press failed to materialise in spectacular fashion. So much so, that attacking presses dropped from the seasonal average of 23.7% to just 11%.

Liverpool’s opening goal could be used in training grounds up and down the country as an example of how to botch every single element of a functional pressing game.

Let’s have a look at what went wrong…

First Mason Greenwood runs towards ‘Pool centre-back Virgil Van Dyke without cutting off the passing lanes:

\
source: The Athletic

Then Aaron Wan-Bissaka is too slow to spot the danger and close down Andy Robertson:

source: The Athletic

With Wan-Bissaka caught in no man’s land, Victor Lindelof is pulled out of position to cover the right side. The midfield is too advanced, so an easy pass inside finds Roberto Firmino in acres of space.

source: The Athletic

A simple ball to Mohammed Salah – played onside by Luke Shaw – leaves the United left-back in serious trouble. United’s midfield cannot get back quickly enough to offer any protection.

source: The Athletic

Without doing anything radical, the visitors have three against one. Salah slips in Naby Keita to open the scoring.

source: The Athletic

It’s worth noting that Solskjaer’s side were guilty of similar lapses during the home draw with Everton and thumping at Leicester City.

Looking at the Red Devils’ pressing over a ten-game spell shows that the intensity has been plummeting since the final third of last season.

source: The Athletic

Far from being an aberration, there’s something fundamentally wrong with the current set up that coincides with the side’s botched transition from a counter-attacking to pressing team.

With defensive lynchpin Harry Maguire woefully out of form and the temperature rising daily, Reds’ coaches are now under intense pressure to fix their broken system.

Starting with Spurs on Saturday, it will soon become clear if they’re up to the task.

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Solskjaer’s subtle comments may indicate a wider and deeper rift at Manchester United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has addressed what he thinks went wrong in Manchester United’s humiliating 0-5 defeat to Liverpool last Sunday using an analogy.

‘You see Tyson Fury when he gets knocked down a couple of times, it’s remarkable how calm and composed he is on the floor, counts to six, seven, eight and he gets up and goes again,’ he said at this afternoon’s press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Spurs.

‘We got up too early and tried to sort it. Minds have to be better but we’ve had to look at different things as well, the communication has to be direct.’

So what does he mean with this cryptic explanation?

The Tyson Fury reference is clear. If you have been dealt a blow, stay calm, regroup and buy yourself a little time to recover. What he is saying is having fallen one, two goals down … or was it three, or four? … his United side did not stay calm, they ran like headless chickens to try to equalise (or cut the deficit to one, or two, or three goals), leaving too much space and the defence too exposed.

He is blaming the players for abandoning the tactics, not himself for the tactics.

But what of the second part of the quote – ‘the communication has to be direct’? Is Solskjaer suggesting some sort of Chinese Whispers-esque failure? That can only mean ‘I told Kieran (McKenna)/Michael (Carrick)/Mike (Phelan) to give the players this instruction, but they did not receive it. Next time I will shout it to them myself, personally.’

It is hard to glean any other meaning from his words. And if that is the meaning, then Ole is saying ‘It’s either the coaches’ faults for not relaying my instructions correctly, or the players disregard or disrespect or do not understand those coaches as well as they do me.’

Either way, he is blaming others and not taking responsibility. It makes you wonder what the brilliant bit of wisdom was that his minions failed to get across that would have made the outcome completely different. It must have been quite something.

Everybody loves Ole even if they think he is out of his depth. A genuinely nice guy. A smiling, cheerful fellow that gets on with everyone. But is he?

Here he is, throwing everyone but himself under the bus. But smiling all the way as he does so, the little charmer.

So, what do you call a baby-faced assassin when he grows up? Just an assassin.

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Man United star shares his verdict on Solskjaer's future after disappointing start to the season

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire gives his verdict on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of make or break tie vs. Tottenham Hotspur.

The Englishman’s form has been one of the key issues in defence in recent weeks after he returned to the starting lineup following an injury that kept him out for a few weeks but after having only had one training session.

United went on to lose 4-2 against Leicester City with Maguire at least partly responsible for three of the goals.

The defeat against Leicester was followed by more defensive lapses as United conceded two goals in the first half vs. Atalanta and then five against Liverpool.

Solskjaer has been under huge scrutiny for picking the captain by some fans and even reportedly from players in the dressing room.

But that loyalty in his captain may have been rewarded this week. According to the Manchester Evening News, Maguire has voiced his support for the Norwegian as he battles for his job.

Speaking to Norway’s TV2, the 28-year-old spoke about the history of the manager at the club and how much he looks up to him.

“Ole has played for this club for many years and he has been the manager for three years,” the defender said.

“He knows what to expect and I’m sure he can handle the ups and downs. He knows what’s going on in this club.”

“That [defeat against Liverpool] was, of course, disappointing for him, but it was disappointing for everyone involved in this club.”

The vote of confidence will be welcome to the boss, who needs all the support he can get right now. Maguire then went on to talk about what he thinks is needed to put things right and took some responsibility for the situation.

“Everyone looks at themselves and where they can improve, that also applies to me.”

“The most important thing is to improve individually and come together as a team.”

The captain went on to claim that the squad morale is low after disappointing results in the Premier League and a slow start to the campaign in other competitions as well.

“The mood is that we are disappointed and hurt”, he said.

2We are footballers who play at the highest level. We know what the requirements are in this club. We have a lot of experience, many leaders and many people who say what they mean.”

With Solskjaer under pressure, the clock is ticking and a new manager could be taking the club forward in the upcoming weeks.

It is now a crucial time for everyone in the squad as they look to improve results before the festive fixtures.

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More trouble for Solskjaer as two angry United stars seek showdown talks - report

Manchester United players Eric Bailly and Donny van de Beek are seeking assurances over their position at the club after failing to appear in recent matches and believing they have been exiled from the starting eleven.

Dutch international Van de Beek has only started four Premier League matches since his arrival in 2020 and has only made one substitute appearance in the league this season so far.

Bailly however made regular appearances from the bench last season but has failed to make an impact in all competitions this season, appearing once in the Carabao Cup defeat vs. West Ham United from the bench.

Both players are now concerned about their playing time and will be seeking assurances over their position at the club going forward.

According to The Sun, the 27-year-old defender was incredibly upset at not starting vs. Leicester after Harry Maguire clearly wasn’t fit, but still got the nod as Raphael Varane remained on the sidelines.

Since then, Maguire’s form has been in question and people are wondering if he has fully recovered from the injury that kept him out for a couple of weeks.

The Ivory Coast star signed a new deal in April that lasts up until 2024 and will be confused over the lack of starts, especially in cup competitions and the Champions League.

It’s a different story for Van de Beek who has completely lost his place in the international side and this is something that is quite concerning for the player with the World Cup coming up next year.

Initially, it was an injury that kept him out of the European Championships but with no place in the Man United starting eleven, it becomes complicated to claim back his position for his international side.

Numerous reports are claiming that the player wants to leave the club and with interest from teams such as Inter Milan, Everton and many more European clubs, it seems certain that a January exit will be happening unless something changes beforehand.

This is a situation that will be concerning United fans, who will be confused at the lack of game time for the player especially after dreadful performances from the current options.

As the player is now considered exiled from the squad, more concerns will start to rise if Paul Pogba ends up leaving, who has a contract until the end of the season.

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'El Sackico' Crunch time as Ole approaches most important game of his managerial career

Manchester United play Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow knowing a loss could very well see manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lose his job after three years at the helm.

The game will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and will kick off at 5:30PM with live coverage on Sky Sports.

United will be keen to bounce back from a humiliating battering at the hands of Liverpool last time out that has seen the pressure ramp up on Ole and his players.

Form

United’s form heading into this one is quite simply diabolical, one point from their last four Premier League games has seen them drop to seventh in the table.

Sitting bottom of the form table having accumulated less points than both Norwich and Newcastle in recent weeks, things at Old Trafford are far from good.

Two come from behind Champions League victories have papered over some cracks, but United’s one clean sheet in their last 20 games highlights their main issue.

Tottenham haven’t fared much better under new gaffer Nuno Espirito Santo, sitting just one place and one point above United in sixth.

Scoring just nine goals, less than Newcastle and Watford, Spurs have been a tough watch at times as they find their feet under Nuno.

This lack of goals mixed with an average defence has seen them lose convincingly to Chelsea and Manchester City, while Arsenal and Crystal Palace both put three past them in resounding wins.

Team news

United will definitely be without Paul Pogba who received a red card during his nightmare 15-minute cameo against Liverpool.

Raphael Varane has returned to training following a groin injury sustained with France, but it remains to be seen whether he will be rushed back into the side for this game.

Here’s how United could line up on the day.

On the other hand, Tottenham will be without Ryan Sessegnon due to a long-term hamstring problem.

Bryan Gil could also miss out having picked up a thigh issue in the midweek EFL Cup clash with Burnley.

Prediction

A very tough game to predict due in part to the erratic nature of both sides, United on paper have the better squad and should be able to slice through Tottenham’s defence, don’t expect a clean sheet though. Tottenham 2-3 United.

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Club official indicates his side are on the verge of signing this United star

Manchester United have been handed a boost in the proposed sale of midfielder, Andreas Pereira, currently on loan in Brazil with Flamengo.

The 25-year-old’s United career seemed to be over last summer as he was shunted out on loan to Lazio and then again, this summer with United looking for buyers.

They eventually settled for a loan with an option to buy for a fee believed to be around the €20 million mark.

And Flamengo vice president of finance, Rodrigo Tostes, revealed to Globo Esporte that the fee was within their capabilities:

“I don’t know if Flamengo are going to buy him or not, it’s not even being discussed internally yet, there’s a huge deadline for us to look at this.”

“What I can say is: Do Flamengo have the capacity to buy an athlete worth €20m today? Totally. There’s certainly the potential for that.”

“There is no lack of people wanting to lend money to Flamengo, they can generate this revenue. But a series of other factors need to be considered, which you will have to give up in order to eventually be able to make this investment.”

“If you take Flamengo’s investment in recent years in athlete purchases, it’s much bigger than €20m a year. So, they are able to buy. The question is whether it makes sense within this strategy that was set up.”

Flamengo would need to smash their current transfer record to bring Pereira in on a permanent basis.

That record was the €17 million they paid in January 2020 for highly rated striker Gabriel Barbosa, who subsequently scored 43 goals during his initial loan spell.

Pereira has impressed in Brazil playing in a deeper midfield role under Renato Gaucho, so far contributing three goals and an assist in 15 games.

With his dream of getting back into the Brazilian national team and United receiving a good fee for a player they signed as a 16-year-old, this deal would make sense for all parties.

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Crucial moment coming up for Solskjaer today with sacking rumours still looming large

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces the press on Friday ahead of Manchester United’s game against Tottenham Hotspur and it’ll be the first time he speaks to the media since the 5-0 defeat against Liverpool.

For a lot of Man United fans, it is going to be a significant moment to see how Solskjaer reacts after what has been a tumultuous week.

Monday saw widespread reports Solskjaer was facing the sack, only for Tuesday to see a U-turn that Solskjaer had been retained support of the board.

Since, it has emerged Solskjaer has been given three games to save his job, while separate reports say sacking is a possibility if United lose to Spurs, and the changing narrative around his future has created a uniquely hostile and unpredictable atmosphere ahead of his Spurs press conference.

I feel there’s a fair comparison to be made with how Steve Bruce felt ahead of Newcastle’s game against, funnily enough, Spurs, when he had to face the press after a week of constant coverage that his sacking was inevitable following Newcastle’s takeover.

That day, Bruce lashed out at the press who said he was going to be sacked before the Spurs game.

“I hope you guys are getting a slap from your bosses, whoever your source was, whoever’s feeding you, didn’t get it right,” Bruce said in bullish fashion.

I’m not expecting a similarly prickly response from Solskjaer but it’s a tough situation he faces this afternoon and it’ll be very interesting to see what questions he is asked and his reaction.

I’ve gone as far as to say I do not think these next three games matter at all for Solskjaer’s future. I think the club are hanging him out to dry in the same way Barcelona hung Ronald Koeman out to dry because the board didn’t have a plan for what was next.

I doubt Ole will or should see it that way but with a divided dressing room, a divided board above him and a divided fanbase below him, it truly feels an almost impossible task for Solskjaer to navigate his way through this and that’s why his press conference is a significant one.

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United drop interest in Conte due to these unreasonable demands - report

Antonio Conte appears to have talked himself out of becoming Manchester United’s next manager, according to a new report.

The Daily Star claims in an exclusive article that in their search for a potential replacement for the struggling Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United have lost interest in Conte after hearing the demands he would make if he were to take the job.

First, the Star says that Conte would demand a salary package of £18 million a year, an amount which the united hierarchy considers unacceptable.

Second, the report claims that ‘Conte would also want to bring in his own team of backroom staff.’

This would involve further significant investment and payoffs to current coaches that the club would be reluctant to pay.

And third, this would all be ‘as well as being able to sign a new holding midfielder and full back in the next transfer window to fit into a change of playing style to suit his favoured 3-5-2 system.’

This would probably entail a winter budget of at least £60- £80 million, something controlling shareholders the Glazer family would be unlikely to endorse.

The article goes on to say that United also have reservations about Conte’s excessive demands to former employers for transfer funds and how this could create a problem within the club.

‘United have not ruled him out completely and could still turn to him if they find themselves in a desperate situation, but have decided he is no longer as appealing an option as first thought,’ the report concludes before confirming that other options are being pursued.

Other options could include former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers, Ajax’s Erik Ten Hag, PSG’s Mauricio Pochettino and Sevilla’s Julen Lopetegui.

Bookmakers have even listed Cristiano Ronaldo among the favourites, which given United’s track record of promoting from within might not be beyond the realms of possibility.

Solskjaer, of course, will be hoping that this is all hypothetical as he attempts to extricate himself from the chopping block with a convincing win at Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow.

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4-4-2 diamond: this major tactical u-turn vs Spurs could make or break Solskjaer

Paul Pogba will definitely not be available for Manchester United’s trip to London to face Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow, leaving manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a difficult decision to make in regard to the midfield.

Better news for the beleaguered boss is that Raphael Varane is back in training and is expected to take his place in the heart of the United defence that has leaked 11 goals in the three games for which he was absent.

Yesterday we looked at what kind of side Solskjaer might put out if he were to really roll the dice and try something completely different after the recent turmoil.

However, as stated in that article, we think it is more in character for him to stick largely to his tried and trusted lieutenants, but with some tweaks.

Pogba’s absence and the disconnect between defence and attack will surely cause the manager to change the formation and given the personnel available and opposition, a 4-4-2 diamond looks like the most likely option.

In defence, Solskjaer may feel that the re-introduction of Varane will be enough to steady the ship and he will probably therefore stick by Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka despite their abject form.

It is likely that the diamond midfield will be a fairly conservative one. Bruno Fernandes will be the attacking tip of the diamond, with Nemanja Matic the defensive tip.

It is possible that Donny van de Beek might take Pogba’s place, with either Fred or Scott McTominay making up the quartet, although the boss might stubbornly plod on with the ‘McFred’ combo, thinking that bolstering them with Matic behind will be sufficient to resolve the obvious issues.

We hope this is not the case as creativity and width would be in short supply with this option.

Up front, it seems most likely that Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford will get the nod. Solskjaer has tremendous faith in Rashford and is perhaps a little afraid to rest Ronaldo.

This will be hard on the likes of Mason Greenwood, who has been in exceptional form, and Edinson Cavani, Jadon Sancho, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial, who will all have to hope they can make an impression from the bench.

With all that in mind, here is our predicted XI for the 5.30pm kick off tomorrow:

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‘Unhappy’ Arsenal striker will only stay if one promise is met

Arsenal are once again in the precarious position of losing a player on a free transfer due to letting a contract run to its final months – this time it’s 22-year-old Eddie Nketiah.

The news from TEAMtalk is that Arsenal are willing to hand the young English striker a three-year contract – a real commitment to a bit-part player that showed his worth by scoring against Leeds last time out.

The one promise that Nketiah wants kept by manager Mikel Arteta is that there’s a not too distant pathway to being given a ‘more prominent role’ in the first XI.

While given chances here and there and in League Cup games, it has never looked like Nketiah would be a natural successor to a Alexandre Lacazette or Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang – at least based on a lack of opportunity in the Premier League.

Arteta did however speak after the goalscoring cameo by Nketiah, signing the praises of the striker soon to be a free agent:

“I have full belief that he’s going to be a top, top player and hopefully at Arsenal.”

The post ‘Unhappy’ Arsenal striker will only stay if one promise is met first appeared on All Arsenal News.

'Not the right man': Man United great blasts Solskjaer

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Manchester United great Dimitar Berbatov has bluntly told Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he’s not the right man to take the club forward.

The now-retired Bulgarian insists he’s only trying to be realistic and it’s safe to say he’s saying what many fans currently feel.

According to Manchester Evening News, Berbatov said: “Judging on the Liverpool match, Solskjaer isn’t the right man to take the club forward.

“For some fans that’s the most important game of the season and we want to beat Liverpool maybe more than we want to beat City.

“That being said, we have to look at the bigger picture and there are a lot more games to come, if they don’t win the next couple of matches then Ole is going to be in major trouble.

“I have read the latest reports saying that his job is secure for now, but if he loses the next couple then he is going to have a difficult time justifying his position and I won’t be surprised if they have already started looking for someone to speak to in case he loses the next couple of matches.

“Next up for United is three tough matches: Spurs away, Atalanta away and City at home. I obviously have a strong sentiment towards United and Solskjaer for various reasons, but I also try to be realistic and I see that if they play the same way against Spurs like they did against Liverpool then they are in trouble.

“Spurs are a side that are up and down, and it is a winnable game for United, but if they lose it the following two games become even more difficult and Solskjaer isn’t going to be in a position to stay at United. If they don’t beat Spurs, they are going to struggle in the next two games and the manager is going to be taking the blame.”

Solskjaer certainly doesn’t have a kind fixture list to get through but he did have one earlier in the season.

It’s why the legendary Norwegian called for his players to hit the ground running this time around in order to get a good run of form going.

It seemed as though they responded to his request when they took apart Leeds United on the first match-day but there have been next to no good performances since.

Solskjaer has built arguably the best team since Sir Alex Ferguson‘s retirement but has failed to get the most out of them all season long.

The attack is misfiring, the defence are being cut through easily, and the midfield may as well be non-existent.

The nature of the mistakes made in the heavy 5-0 loss to Liverpool has led many to conclude the coaching is clearly insufficient.

It was also the final straw for many United fans and there are not many left who still believe in him.

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