Varun Pai
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explains what his side could have done better in Man City loss
Speaking after the game (h/t The Athletic), Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed that he did not appreciate the manner in which his side lost against Man City in the derby.
This performance was perhaps coming, and the signs were there. United did defeat Tottenham Hotspur comfortably but got out of jail in added time against Atalanta. The big test was against their city rivals, and few expected that Solskjaer would get his tactics right.
However, the bigger issue was that the players crumbled after the Etihad outfit’s opening goal. There was no desire to press, and the Norwegian’s motivation from the touchline did very little to bring about any enthusiasm in his team.
Solskjaer explained after the game that his side never got to the level at which they could beat the reigning Premier League champions. He told reporters after the game (h/t The Athletic):
“Of course, it is very disappointing. Of course, it feels like after last week that we have made a step or two forward. Results-wise, it is a big step backwards. Probably, for me, it is a way of losing that we don’t like. When you lose a game against a good team you want to see a better Man United team than that.
Alarmingly, Solskajer admits that United got nowhere near the quality to win against the top teams. It has been on show the last few weeks where we have been outplayed by Leicester City, Liverpool and now Manchester City.
“We needed to be more front foot, aggressive up there, but then, of course, we’re playing against a very good team that made it hard for us to do that… So, we never got to the level we need to be at to win against good teams.”
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This was the Old Trafford outfit’s third defeat in the last four league games while they have also conceded 11 goals in the same period.
Big things were expected of United when we signed several marquee stars this summer, but Solskjaer has not brought us any closer to the Premier League title than we already were. Thus, only time will tell whether the board continue with mediocrity or take a big decision over the gaffer’s future in the upcoming international break.
