It’s Manchester United’s worst start to a season for 30 years. Solskjær’s win ratio of 47.5% is the worst of any United manager since Dave Sexton got the boot back in April 1981.
They currently sit just two points shy of the relegation zone. They haven’t won away from home since April against PSG, and not in the league since Crystal Palace in February.
Former Premier League ace Chris Sutton has slammed Manchester United for their decision to offload both Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku this summer. Lukaku made the move to Inter Milan on a permanent deal before the English transfer deadline and the Red Devils have since sanctioned the temporary move for Sanchez to the same club.
As a result, they are currently with just two strikers in the form of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial and there is basically no back-up with only the inexperienced Mason Greenwood on the bench. Speaking to The Mirror, Sutton said that the Red Devils don’t have the credentials to make the top four this term, considering the lack of genuine goalscoring options upfront.
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised the instant impact made by Harry Maguire in the Red Devils shirt. The England international made the move to Old Trafford from Leicester City during the closing stages of the summer transfer window and he has since made his debut during the 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea where he was handed with the man of the match accolade.
Speaking in a press conference, Solskjaer said that the defender is very level-handed and has been a good influence on the team despite the late arrival from the Foxes. He told: “He’s very level-headed. He's just as composed off the pitch as he is on the pitch. He's experienced, he's a big presence around the place, he's smiling and he's a personality that you like to have around.To have a cool head at the back is important. The defenders who are level headed and not too emotionally affected are great to have, for a manager and for a team. Harry's only been here for a little bit more than a week and he's been very good to have around [the club].”
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has said that the Red Devils players are buying into the plans of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Red Devils had a forgettable 2018/19 campaign where they finished sixth on the table but there have been positive signs in pre-season with the team showing a much-better workrate.
Speaking to reporters, McTominay acknowledged that Solskjaer has been offering double training sessions for the players and the same has brought out a positive mindset during the recent pre-season friendlies, he said:“The running, the training hard is perfect. But it's the details that we're trying to get right this pre-season. I think you can see from the results and the way that we're playing now that it's going to plan. There are things we need to work on and aspects of our game that each individual player has to work on as well. It's important we take all that information on board because it's an important season.”
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that he is delighted after Marcus Rashford committed his future to the club on a long-term deal. The England international had been in a contract standoff with the side over the past year but the club have eventually sealed a four-year deal with the option for a further 12 months.
Shortly after Rashford penned the renewal, Solskjaer said: “Marcus is one of the most talented English players of his generation. He is an outstanding player; blessed with natural pace and energy. Marcus is a shining example of the talent that our Academy produces and his upbringing means that he truly understands what it means to play for Manchester United. “Despite being only 21 years old, Marcus already has great experience. He has a fantastic future ahead of him with the club and I am delighted that he has signed a new contract.”
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku has refused to rule out a potential move away from Manchester United during this summer’s transfer window. The 26-year-old had a disappointing 2018/19 season where he managed just 15 goals in all competitions and this has spread speculation that United may seek to replace him ahead of next season.
When asked about the same, Lukaku remained relatively unperturbed and said that he will discuss his future with both the club and his representative, he told: “I’ll speak with my club and my agent Federico Pastorello to make the best decision. I am going to enjoy my holidays with my family now. I know what I’ll do, but won’t say it. We’ll see. Do I expect a busy summer? Yes. I’ve had a difficult season at club level. I lost my place and haven’t played much. But that is a phase in my career and it will help me for the next step.”
Sky Sports pundit Danny Higginbotham has said that Manchester United are far off from competing with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League title unless they can improve on the fitness levels of the current squad. The club recently endured a disappointing campaign where they finished sixth on the league table and the board are expected to spend in the transfer market to some of the ongoing concerns.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Higginbotham indicated that the United players should plenty of adrenalin during the initial tenure under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but they could not sustain the same for the final months of the season. He added that the current crop of players lack the necessary fitness levels to cope with Ole’s style of play and the manager needs to sort out the concern during pre-season.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has leaped into the defence of goalkeeper David de Gea amid his torrid run of form of late. The Spaniard has been culpable for making keeping mistakes which have cost the team over the past month and one of those came during the 1-1 Premier League draw against Chelsea, which has hampered their prospects of making the top four.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Lukaku described De Gea as a very positive person and suggested that he has been the club’s standout performer in the past few seasons. He added that the shot-stopper will return to his best form in due course, considering he will learn from the mistakes made in recent weeks.
Manchester United legend-turned-pundit Paul Scholes has said that the Red Devils are unlikely to challenge for the Premier League title next term. The Mancunian giants have improved immensely under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the second half of the campaign but Scholes does not reckon that the club can compete for the English crown next season.
Speaking to BT Sport, Scholes said that United need another rebuild during the summer and he is unsure whether Ole can transform them into genuine title candidates, he said: “It feels like you almost need a full rebuild again. A lot of people expect United to challenge for league next year and I can’t see it. Liverpool showed signs last year they could challenge. United, there’s nothing telling me they’ll challenge next season.Give it £200million and give Ole a summer window, but Ole will have to improve this squad massively.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have been going through a disappointing set of results since he was appointed on a permanent basis as the replacement for Jose Mourinho, but a lot of former United names have been holding the Norwegian in very high regard already. One of those individuals happen to be former Swedish winger Jesper Blomqvist, who claims that the joy of seeing Manchester United play in an attacking with is certainly back for good. Under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, there was a lot of criticism about Manchester United playing a defensive style that was considered as boring – after having been used to the days under Sir Alex Ferguson.
After being brought in as the caretaker manager following the exit of Mourinho,Solskjaer was able to work his magic instantly. A number of players like Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku started displaying world-class form that was simply not to be seen under Mourinho. As a result, results started flowing and the United were getting a lot of goals. Even though the positive results have dried up since the appointment of Solskjaer on a permanent basis,Blomqvist says that it is at least a delight to feel that United are sticking with their DNA.Blomqvist played for United for three years at the turn of the century.