After the worst start ever in the Premiership, Manchester United need to face facts and start seriously planning to avoid relegation. Lots of people have already jumped on the bandwagon voicing their doubts about manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s ability, and with him talking about improving things so the team can vie for a top-four finish, he could be living in cloud cuckoo land, and perhaps they’re right.
With injuries to players like Pogba, Sanchez, De Gea, Lingard and Martial, he is going to have his work cut out for himself to gather as many points as he can.
United’s goalkeeper could be out for several weeks, but if he is, his replacement Sergio Romero could quickly rise to the challenge. Although he has played far fewer games, the Argentinian’s 2019/2020 season stats are better than the Spaniard’s.
When giving 100% isn’t enough
But looking at where The Red Devils currently are and the fact that they only have Marcus Rashford as the one main attacking option, the decision to let Sanchez and Lukaku go has cost them dearly. Solskjaer says it was the right decision at the time as both players were giving less than 100%. He goes on to say the all the players left in the squad do give 100%.
However, getting 100% out of the current squad hasn’t achieved anywhere near enough. At 12th position in the table, and with their upcoming match against Liverpool this weekend, they could easily end up on the edge of the relegation zone – and this after only nine games.
Same old – same old
When questioned as to his prospects, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer trots out the same old lines that any number of under pressure managers before him have spoken. They always refer to the club owners lending them their support, and in his case, Solskjaer refers to the fact that he has a three-year contract.
Back in April, before the start of the current Premiership campaign, ex-player Lee Sharpe expressed his view in an interview that the Norwegian wasn’t the man for the job at Old Trafford. He thought that the size of the task was more than the 46-year old was ready for. He said it was too early in Solsjkaer’s managerial career. Perhaps he was right.
At the time of the interview, Sharpe expressed his opinion that United should have gone after the Spurs’ manager, Mauricio Pochettino. Of course, the Argentinian wasn’t available at that time, but with the poor start that Tottenham Hotspur have made this season, he could well be now.
United should approach Pochettino
According to the Old Trafford rumour mill, the 52-year-old former manager of Juventus, Italian Massimiliano Allegri, is the favourite to replace Solskjaer. It is being said that approaches have already been made. But if Pochettino does become available, and it is becoming more likely with each of Tottenham’s underwhelming displays, surely, he would be preferable?
Spurs’ poor run of results is not down to Pochettino’s managerial skill. It is more to do with his lack of say in the transfer market and the poor decisions at board level regarding players approaching the end of their contracts.
A decision could soon be in the offing
Manchester United’s next game against Liverpool could prove decisive in terms of Solsjkaer’s future. But even if he gets over this hurdle, he could well continue to struggle with the squad he has. He says the board is prepared to spend big in the January transfer window, but will patience stretch out that long? Probably not.
Given what Pochettino has done at White Hart Lane, his ability to build is just what United need. His likely unhappiness with Spurs and Daniel Levy right now, surely that means he should be worth approaching?
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