Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continues at Manchester United according to ESPN, despite the defeat on September 25th against Aston Villa raising some questions about his position.
The Norwegian has overhauled the team after taking over the managerial duties from Jose Mourinho and there has been improvement in the squad since his arrival and performances in general have been improved.
However, the same questions have been arising over and over again as Solskjaer is not able to deliver consistently. United have lost three of their last four games this season which has exposed his problems yet again. The manager will be looking for a better performance than against Aston Villa when United face Villarreal in the Champions League clash on Wednesday 29th September. A disappointing result on the night might raise the question once again as to if he is the right person to lead the club back to sustained glory.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Continues at Manchester United as Club Maintain Trust in Manager
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Occasional Struggles Leave Some Asking Questions
It was a fairytale start when Solskjaer took over the managers job. With a former United star at the helm, the hopes had increased rapidly and to add to that, the impact he made during the interim period was huge. United closed a large gap in the Premier League and even pulled off an historical comeback against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League.
His first full season as United’s manager was a mixed one. Despite securing the same points as last season, they bettered three places as they finished third in the 2019/20 season. This was also only the second time the club finished in the top-3 since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.
In addition to that, United were knocked out of three cup competitions at the semi-final stage. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer witnessed an exit from the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the UEFA Europa League, creating an unwanted record. The following season, the curse continued as they exited their fourth cup in the semi-finals.
During this period the pressure increased as United exited the Champions League despite having a great start. The failure in this competition was focused on Solskjaer’s game management but the league form was intact and they finished the season as runners-up. Winning a trophy would have relieved some pressure but they lost their first final under Solskjaer against Villarreal in the Europa League final.
There is no doubt that Solskjaer has changed the atmosphere at the club and duly deserves credit for his efforts. United have finally built a squad worthy of a challenge in many a season with the arrivals of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo making a statement to their rivals.
Solskjaer Will Need to Improve to Continue at The Club
With a win percentage of 55 so far, Solskjaer is doing very well at Manchester United yet the question arises when it comes to tactics and comparisons. The 48-year-old manager has been blamed often for his tactics. The latest one to catch the eye was the Champions League loss against BSC Young Boys.
Jurgen Klopp needed time to settle at Liverpool, but he started delivering from his third season. Pep Guardiola has been excellent since the beginning and their trophy cabinet gets updated every year. Thomas Tuchel completely changed Chelsea in a short period and has created a strong team.
When compared, Solskjaer has got a lot to improve. To add to the pressure, United haven’t won silverware for the past four years and a trophy is something that can secure his long term future and this could be the last season for him to achieve it. If he fails despite having a tenacious and highly talented squad the board will start thinking about replacements.
