OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER faces a make-or-break game this weekend, taking on high-flying Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
With the pressure mounting on the Manchester United boss, Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with the job – installed as the early favourite to finally take over at Old Trafford.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must do FIVE things to save his job… and quicklyCredit: AFP or Licensors
Mauricio Pochettino is being tipped to take over at Man UtdCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Tom McDermott lists five things the Norwegian must do if he is to save his job.
PLAY WITH WIDTH
Solskjaer opted for the diamond during the 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal, which meant Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba were expected to provide width when they could – a tactic which failed catastrophically.
The boss unleashed the diamond again in the 2-1 defeat at Istanbul Basaksehir – with Juan Mata and Donny van de Beek tasked with adding width from within… again, it backfired.
If this is the way Solskjaer intends to go in the future, then the pressure will be on Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw to deliver in the attacking third – and they simply aren’t good enough at that.
Alex Telles is capable but he’s yet to establish himself after testing positive for coronavirus.
Solskjaer simply must revert to 4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 which has the flexibility to revert to 4-5-1 when out of possession and provide some much-needed width during the different phases of play.
START CAVANI & VAN DE BEEK
Cavani – along with Van de Beek – must be starting for Man UtdCredit: EPA
Both summer signings have hardly had a chance since arriving.
You can forgive Solskjaer for not playing Cavani more, because the Uruguayan has barely kicked a ball since March – but Van de Beek is a different case.
The Dutchman played well in the game in Istanbul but was surprisingly withdrawn.
Cavani’s experience up front and Van de Beek’s eagerness to impress could be just what Solskjaer’s side needs to navigate through this tricky period.
STICK WITH A BEST XI
Solskjaer must stop chopping and changing and pick his best XI, including Van de BeekCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
You expect changes from time-to-time both in terms of team selection and formation.
But Solskjaer makes so many you could forgive the players if they started to become a little confused.
Solskjaer’s selection is always made with the opposition in mind and not focused enough on the damage his own side can cause teams.
There’s enough attacking quality in that United squad to beat most sides in Europe, as we’ve seen against Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig.
But until Solskjaer settles on a more ‘stable’ XI – in both formation and personnel – we’ll see blip after blip.
RECRUIT IN JANUARY
Bruno Fernandes has proven January transfers can be season-changingCredit: PA:Press Association
We saw the impact Bruno Fernandes had last January when he signed for the club – and if Solskjaer manages to survive until the winter window, he needs to spend again.
United signed the wrong players in the summer and if it means part of the summer budget is moved forward to January , then that is what must happen.
Failure to be in that top four next May means Solskjaer will lose his job anyway.
SHOW SOME PASSION
Solskjaer and his players have got to show a bit of passionCredit: AP:Associated Press
Before last night, Istanbul Basaksehir hadn’t scored a goal in the Champions League this season.
So it came as a shock to many United fans when they struck twice… and won.
United have a better team than many of their opponents, but the players look tired on the pitch, and the manager, at times, looks bored in the dugout.
Get in that technical area and let’s see a manager who is fighting for his life.
Solskjaer’s post-match interview where he says ‘it’s not good enough’ is becoming a regular occurrence.
It was also a familiar theme under David Moyes’ regime too – and we all know how that ended.
Man Utd boss Solskjaer refuses to comment on future after ‘unforgivable’ defending in Istanbul humbling
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
