Champions League

AS OLE Gunnar Solskjaer said himself: At Manchester United, you are judged game to game.On Saturday, Cristiano Ronaldo returned and the Red Devils beat Newcastle United 4-1.
United should stick by Solskjaer and block out the critics calling for him to be sacked after the club’s European loss to Young BoysCredit: Rex
The plan Ole set in motion on succeeding Jose Mourinho as boss was now coming together.
Fast forward to Tuesday and a 2-1 defeat away to Young Boys in Bern and suddenly he is no longer the man for the job.
Jason Cundy set the ball rolling on talkSPORT, saying United should sack the Norwegian.
What absolute rot.
It was only down the road against Basel in December 2011 that Sir Alex Ferguson succumbed to defeat at the group stage and fell into the Europa League.
United had also drawn 3-3 at home to the Swiss side in September.

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It can happen — and did, even during Fergie’s reign.
There is no doubt that if United fail to get out of Group F on the back of a super summer of signings, then Solskjaer will be under pressure — and rightly so.
But we are not there yet.
Tuesday night’s defeat came partly due to things beyond Solskjaer’s control.
He could not legislate for Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s clumsy red card.
There has to be an argument for him to be dropped in favour of Diogo Dalot.
Wan-Bissaka can tackle but when it comes to controlling and crossing the ball, we could all have a go and maybe do better.
Then there was the penalty claim that was turned down when Ronaldo was barged off the ball.
Then Jesse Lingard has a brain freeze and the game is gone.
As Ole’s captain Harry Maguire said: “Discipline is a huge part of tournament football.
“If this was a knockout game and we go out of the competition because we go down to ten men, I am sure everyone will be kicking themselves.
“It’s fortunate that it is the first game of the group and we have loads of time to bounce back from it.
QUESTIONABLE LATE DECISIONS
“In terms of Jesse, obviously no footballer likes making mistakes but it’s part and parcel of the game.
“We’re humans, every footballer makes mistakes, we’ll learn from it, he’ll learn from it.”
You can, however, question Solskjaer on the substitutions that helped hand an already-growing initiative to Young Boys.
Taking off Ronaldo with 18 minutes of normal time left signalled that Solskjaer thought the game was gone and it was time to mount a rearguard action.
But to then send on Anthony Martial in the 89th minute for defensive midfielder Fred, was mind boggling.
So the manager is not beyond reproach and this was his seventh defeat in 11 games in the Champions League.
He has a team and a squad that can challenge for the title and the highest honour in club football.
He has lost a game but the season is hardly gone.
From a third-place finish to second and now top of the Premier League, the progression under Solskjaer is there for all to see.
There is no way the blueprint laid down for success is going to be ripped up on the back of one defeat.
To watch United now compared to under Louis van Gaal and Mourinho is to see two different teams, two different clubs even, given the feeling around the Theatre of Dreams at the weekend.
Ole will make mistakes — even the great Van Gaal threw Nick Powell on up front to retrieve a bad situation when losing 3-2 to Wolfsburg in December 2015.
UNITED ARE STILL IN BEST POSITION TO WIN SILVERWARE
United failed to get past the group stage that time, too.
Last season, after winning three of their first four group games, United dropped into the little loved Europa League again.
Solskjaer, you would hope, will have learned from the mistakes of that campaign, not least in the 2-1 defeat away to Turkey’s Basaksehir.
The memories of the ill discipline of that night came flooding back in Bern — and that needs to be eradicated quickly.
One thing Solskjaer could do with emphasising to the players is an appreciation of the away support.
Only four or five players, plus the manager, went to the corner of the ground where they were congregated to clap their efforts.
Yes, the players were dejected but as one fan pointed out to me, so were they.
And they were the ones who had to queue for two hours in Manchester airport to get a flight and pay for all the Covid protocols.

That was before the rather overenthusiastic tester at the EXPO building in Bern stuck a pipe cleaner so far up your nose it almost came out your ear.
So not a great experience.
But it’s game one, United are top of the league, breathe.
Solskjaer reacts to Man Utd’s defeat against Young Boys More

CRISTIANO RONALDO accidentally KO’d a match steward while warming up for Manchester United’s clash at Young Boys.The Portugal star misfired a ball wide of the goal as he limbered up for the Champions League group stage game.
Cristiano Ronaldo accidentally KO’d a steward in the build-up to Man Utd’s game at Young BoysCredit: Reuters
The steward was laid flat by Ronaldo’s misfired shotCredit: Reuters
And Ronaldo instead hit an innocent steward standing on the sideline.
The fierce impact of the ball saw the person crash straight to the ground.
People around quickly looked to make sure the steward was OK.
And Ronaldo himself immediately went over to check in on the prone person.
After knowing the steward was well, Ronaldo ran back onto the pitch to continue his warm-up.
And he cheered the steward up after the final whistle by giving her his jersey.
Ronaldo immediately went to check on the stewardCredit: Getty
Ronaldo tended to the KO’d steward as others also helpedCredit: EPA

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But the incident didn’t put Ronnie off his stride, as he opened the scoring in Switzerland after just 13 minutes following a sumptuous assist from Bruno Fernandes.
It was Ronaldo’s third goal in just two games for his ‘new’ club.
The legendary forward scored twice on his second debut in United’s 4-1 win against Newcastle on Saturday.
But United fell apart as they went down to ten men before conceding a last-gasp winnner.
Ronnie also moved level with Iker Casillas tonight for the most Champions League appearances in history.

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Ronaldo gave his shirt to a security guard at the end of the gameCredit: Getty
The security guard, who could have been the person struck by the ball, looked delighted to receive the jerseyCredit: Getty
The pair are joint-top on 177 games in the top European competition.
And one more match sees Ronaldo move clear, with the Portugal ace already the competition’s leading all-time goalscorer.
Earlier this month, Ronnie also became the all-time leading INTERNATIONAL goalscorer too.

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IF he wasn’t already disheartened with his Manchester United career, a half-time subbing may have just tipped Donny van de Beek over the edge.This was supposed to be the moment to show boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer what he can bring to a team already brimmed with elite talent and big stage superstars.
Donny van de Beek made it look like Man Utd had 10 men before Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent offCredit: EPA
Having played in all six Champions League group games last season, the Dutch midfielder was given his moment again in the competition in United’s opener away to Young Boys.
The 24-year-old’s second appearance of the campaign after a five-minute cameo against Newcastle, and his first start in all competitions since the last league game of last season.
United legend Rio Ferdinand said pre-match: “He is fighting for his career. He was given assurances that he would get these opportunities, but he’s got to go and produce.
“He’s wise enough to understand that. He’s got to go out there and show Ole why he should be playing in his team and make it difficult to take him out.”
Paul Scholes added: “He’s got to prove he is good enough to play for Manchester United.”
But if anything, his brief showing will only convince Ole even more that he can do without the player he snapped up from Ajax for £40m last summer.

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Just why Ole decided to buy him in the first place is a mystery, seeing as, over his 38 appearances for the club, he has averaged just 40 minutes per game.
It was the same story against Young Boys – being hooked at the break for Raphael Varane following Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s first-half red card.
Ole will claim it was a tactical move, but he could have quite easily taken off another attacker instead, or Van de Beek’s midfield partner Fred.
But in a damning indictment of Ole’s belief in Van de Beek, he trusts the Brazilian more.
In that respect, Van de Beek has a case to feel sorry for himself, and wonder just what he has to do to get a run in this side.
Donny van De Beek had yet another night to forget for Man UtdCredit: AP
But on the other hand, he knows exactly what he needs to do – he just doesn’t show it.
Whether he likes it or not, in the brief moments you have on the pitch in a Manchester United shirt, you have to show your worth.
Especially now, in this current squad, when you are surrounded by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba.
But instead of taking a grip of this game, you wouldn’t be blamed for forgetting he was even playing.
Even before Wan-Bissaka’s red card, it was as thought United were playing with 10 men, such was his invisibility.
‘HARD TO NOTICE’
And when you did notice him, he was either missing a tackle or committing a foul.
It certainly wasn’t for his on-the-ball efficiency. He was out-passed and produced less touches of the ball than Fred – a player who is hardly ‘world class’.
There were attempts to provide cross-field diagonal passes to the likes of Luke Shaw, but his passes just don’t have the same zip and panache as his teammates.
Yes, that may be down to the fact that he is constantly in a state of rustiness, coming off the bench or coming into a starting XI that must feel alien to him at times.
But you just want to see more from a player that is obviously so talented having ripped it up at Ajax.
A player who would cover every blade of grass, make every tackle, commit players with his movement.
But that’s just the point – we don’t know what player he even is? Is he a defensive rock? A ball-winning Pitbull? A box-to-box machine?
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The one thing we do know for certain is that he is unused, uncalled for and unwanted.
Ole said in his pre-match press conference of Van de Beek: “This is Man United, Donny. This is what it feels like.”
If this is what it feels like, don’t be surprised to see Van de Beek head for the exit door sooner rather than later.

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