OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER insists Donny van de Beek will be a big player for Manchester United this season.
Having spent £40million on the 22-year-old Ajax star and lauded his midfield versatility, fans and pundits have been scratching their heads as to why Solskjaer has used him so sparingly.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Donny van de Beek will get his chance this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The new £40m signing from Ajax is yet to start in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Van de Beek has played only 61 minutes of United’s five Premier League games and came on for only the final two minutes of their Champions League opener away to PSG last week.
Solskjaer says he is handling the player and his squad in the right way as he plots his way through a congested calendar.
But the Norwegian said: “The pressure is on getting results and picking a team that we think is going to win the next game and even planning the next two, three, four games because we need to win more than one game.
“But it’s a nice challenge and a nice problem to have. I’d rather have that one than having to play players that are not ready and not really ready for the Premier League.
“When players come into a new league, a new team, it’s always going to take time to adapt.
“When Donny has played, he’s played really well. I think it says a lot about our depth of quality in the squad that we don’t have to use him every single game because we have other players as well.
“I also think it says everything about our ambitions, we want to push on, we want to challenge for trophies this season. Donny is going to play a big, big part this year.”
Ahead of United’s second Group H Champions League game against RB Leipzig at old Trafford tonight, Solskjaer opened up about the difficulties of leaving big names out.
Solskjaer wants depth in his squad and competition for every spotCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Van de Beek is not the only one who has been left disappointed with his lack of starts
Paul Pogba has also found himself on the bench for the last three games and Nemanja Matic has started just two league games this season.
Solskjaer said: “To leave players out like the last game in Donny, Nemanja and Paul, all experienced international footballers, it’s not easy.
“But we have so many games this season and they are all going to play a massive part in different parts of the season .
“I don’t think any of them will be able to play all of them.”
After the short break between seasons, a number of clubs are already suffering an injury crisis not least across town at Manchester City.
Harry Maguire is set to captain United against RB LeipzigCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Paul Pogba is in line to return to the starting XICredit: Getty Images – Getty
This is something Solskjaer says he is trying to ward against aiming to spread the workload through his squad.
Solskjaer said: “We’re in a special situation. We play a game every three days, sometimes it’s two days in between, sometimes you are lucky and you have three days in between but you are going to do it relentlessly until the end of the season, then there’s the Euros and then there’s a new season so of course any chance to give players a breather and a break would be very welcome.
“Another reason not to take any chances when the games come thick and fast, is that if you push players too much there is a risk of injury and that human side of it is going to be a big thing this season.
“You will look on telly and think yeah they’re ready but we need to look after the boys, that’s our job as a club and medical staff and as managers.”
Having chosen the right team to beat the best in France last week, the mission for Solskjaer now is to pick an eleven that can beat the best in Germany.
RB Leipzig’s progression continues apace having been founded only 11 years ago.
Marcus Rashford was all smiles in training after his drive to fight child food povertyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
David De Gea is likely to keep Dean Henderson waiting on the benchCredit: Getty Images – Getty
They reached last season’s Champions League semi-finals and top this season’s early Bundesliga standings with four wins and a draw from their opening fives games.
Their 33-year-old coach Julian Nagelsmann is the talk of many a board room across Europe
Solskjaer said “We have followed Leipzig the last few years, especially in Europe, and their top games, big games in the Bundesliga.
“I know Julian is very adaptable, he’s capable of putting teams together in different formations.
“But the style is always there, the style is he always wants to dominant, it’s high tempo, it’s high pressure so we are preparing for a difficult game against a difficult team that can play in many different ways..
“He’s one of those coaches, and teams, that you don’t really know what’s going to happen until it’s live.
“Our focus is on ourselves, that we have to give them problems, and make sure we can solve whatever problems they give us
“It’s a game I’m really looking forward to.”
MANCHESTER UNITED (3-4-1-2) : De Gea – Tuanzebe, Maguire, Shaw – Wan-Bissaka, Pogba, McTominay, Telles – Fernandes – Rashford, Martial.
RB LEIPZIG (3-4-3): Gulácsi – Orban, Upamecano, Halstenberg – Sabitzer, Nkunku, Heinrichs, Angeliño – Olmo, Forsberg, Poulsen.
Man Utd vs RB Leipzig FREE – Live stream, TV channel and kick-off time for Champions League clash
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
