TheNewsGuru

Tag: Solskjaer

  • Look at Ferguson before sacking Solskjaer – Ranieri tells Man Utd

    Look at Ferguson before sacking Solskjaer – Ranieri tells Man Utd

    Watford manager Claudio Ranieri says Manchester United should stand by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    Ranieri has called for United to give time to Solskjaer, believing he is the right man to turn things around at Old Trafford.

    The Italian pointed out how Sir Alex was appointed by the club in 1986, but he did not win his first trophy until 1990.

    “I think every manager has his philosophy,” said Ranieri. “But I remember also when Sir Alex Ferguson arrived in Manchester, three years? How long was it for him [to win a trophy]?

    “Give time to Solskjaer. I am confident with him, he just has to continue this job.

    “But look, Solskjaer is doing very well; of course, Manchester United want to win every time. And they want to come back to the Sir Alex Ferguson era, that’s normal.

    “But the pressure is a positive pressure, for him and for everyone working in Manchester.”

  • Trouble for Solskjaer as Watford thrash Man Utd

    Trouble for Solskjaer as Watford thrash Man Utd

    More misery was heaped on beleaguered Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Saturday as Watford sealed a deserved Premier League victory in front of a packed Vicarage Road.

    In an electrifying first half, United were unable to deal with the high pressing of a well organised Hornets side and quickly found themselves in danger when Scott McTominay bundled forward Joshua King inside the box.

    But United goalkeeper David de Gea came to the rescue as the Spaniard saved not one, but two Ismaila Sarr penalties. Each of the Senegal winger’s efforts were tame but Kiko Femenia managed to turn in the rebound from the first spot-kick, only for the goal to ruled out because of player encroachment from both teams.

    It was not long, however, before Sarr rectified his penalty misses by sending a right-footed shot across de Gea’s goal to double Watford’s lead after King had opened the scoring thanks to Emmanuel Dennis’ assist.

    A second-half uprising saw forgotten man Donny van de Beek – brought on to replace McTominay who received a yellow card – put the ball in the net from Cristiano Ronaldo’s knock down following England winger Jadon Sancho’s searching cross.

    But the nightmare continued for Solskjaer as Harry Maguire was booked twice in seven minutes and sent off.

    A slither of hope looked to have arrived on 77 minutes after the lively Van de Beek found Ronaldo with a through ball but the Portugal captain’s goal was ruled out for offside.

    In the dying moments of the game, to the delight of the loud Watford faithful, Joao Pedro and Dennis added a third and fourth for Watford to pile more heartbreak on the travelling United supporters.

    The defeat means United have tumbled down the table to eighth on 17 points, while Claudio Ranieri’s side are only four points behind them in 15th.

    BBC

  • Solskjaer responds to captaincy doubts for Maguire

    Solskjaer responds to captaincy doubts for Maguire

    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists there’s be no thoughts of taking the captaincy from Harry Maguire.

    Maguire, 28, scored twice on England duty, but his hands-to-his-ears celebration after heading in against Albania was branded ’embarrassing’ by former United skipper Roy Keane.

    Solskjaer said: “Harry is not one to hide on the treatment table or try to find any excuse to sit out games. Scoring a couple of goals for his country will help his form and confidence.

    “He’s going to prove the critics wrong. The so-called experts have their opinions and that’s their job, but it’s not something we have to worry too much about.

    “I’ve not considered taking the captain’s armband away from him. He’s been an absolute stalwart for us on and off the pitch.”

  • Allardyce to Solskjaer: Man Utd backroom team will make or break you

    Allardyce to Solskjaer: Man Utd backroom team will make or break you

    Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is being encouraged to add greater experience to his backroom team.

    Sam Allardyce insists that without the right men by his side he would never have been a success.

    Allardyce said: “You just have to look at his hair. Ole can only get through it with his staff and then by putting the players on the right track.

    “Your staff need to be right on top of their game. We get all the criticism and all the praise as managers, but if you haven’t got the right staff… the success I had, I couldn’t have done it without my staff.

    “I can’t believe I’ve still not got a total silver fox. People think I dye mine, but I don’t. I should have been a silver fox about 10 years ago.

    “My advice to Ole is I would shut everything down from the inside, which is almost an impossible task.

    “But to focus internally and keep the outside influences away from everybody.

    “Focus and really find a way out of it with your staff. Ole’s staff are never more important than they are now.

    “Ole can only get through it with his staff and then by putting the players on the right track. You need your staff to be right on top of their game.”

  • Solskjaer should bench Ronaldo at Man Utd – Ikpeba

    Solskjaer should bench Ronaldo at Man Utd – Ikpeba

    Former Super Eagles player, Victor Ikpeba has described Cristiano Ronaldo as ‘a minus one’ for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United team.

    The former Nigerian striker went ahead to advise Solskjaer to drop the Portuguese superstar on the bench.

    Manchester United’s last game before the International break was a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City and Ikpeba also questioned the tactics deployed by Solskjaer.

    The former African Footballer of the Year questioned the contribution of Ronaldo to the team despite the Portugal International scoring 9 goals in 12 appearances this term.

    Ikpeba blamed United attackers for the defeat to Man City, saying they failed to play a high-pressing game whereas the City players defended as a unit.

    The Monaco ex-winger noted that Ronaldo has excellent goal-scoring pedigree but contributes little or nothing to the Red Devils team.

    “The great managers come from the ability to get the best from your players, but if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not getting the best from these players, I feel some of the Manchester United players up front are very lazy,” Ikpeba told SuperSport’s Monday Night Football.

    “I want us to look at the game against Man City, how Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva pressed. They did not allow the defenders to start the build-up from the defence, why can’t Man Utd players do the same?

    “We saw what Crystal Palace did to Manchester City, they defended very well.

    “I always say Ronaldo is minus one for Manchester United. He can score beautiful goals, he cannot defend.

    “When you look at the opposition, they defend as a team, they attack as a team, they know when to play the pressing game.

    “Solskjaer has to be ruthless. I want to say put Ronaldo on the bench when he is not performing well. “

  • EPL: More pressure on Solskjaer as United lose 2-0 at home to Man City

    EPL: More pressure on Solskjaer as United lose 2-0 at home to Man City

    Manchester City returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday after cruising to a 2-0 victory over local rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

    City’s title defence hit an unexpected setback last week with a 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace, but an own goal from Eric Bailly and a close-range finish from Bernardo Silva moments before half-time were enough to secure all three points for Pep Guardiola’s side.

    The result is sure to turn the heat back up on United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his side was thoroughly outplayed once again by a key rival. Two weeks after their 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Liverpool – and a week after a temporary reprieve with the win at Tottenham – United were again outclassed and while the scoreline was not quite as lopsided, the manner of the defeat will be cause for concern.

    City, who displayed excellent game management, barely allowed the hosts the ball, limiting them to just one-third possession. Their only shot on target was a first-half volley from Cristiano Ronaldo, which was comfortably palmed away by City goalkeeper Ederson.

    Both City goals exposed United’s continued defensive vulnerabilities and lack of intensity. In the seventh minute, Joao Cancelo was allowed space and time to whip a dangerous cross into the area and Bailly sliced his attempted block beyond David de Gea and into the roof of the net.

    Cancelo earned his second assist of the match in the 45th minute when his curled cross beat the United defence and found Silva on the backpost, where his Portugal teammate poked home to double City’s lead. A fine cross and finish from City, but United full-back Luke Shaw was guilty of losing his man and failing to intercept the cross before it made its way to Silva.

    City had numerous chances to increase their lead in the second half and earn a more comfortable scoreline befitting their dominance, but had to settle for a 2-0 victory.

  • Man City will never be bigger than Man Utd – Solskjaer

    Man City will never be bigger than Man Utd – Solskjaer

    Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists they remain the biggest club in the city.

    United have fallen behind over the last decade, winning one Premier League title to Manchester City’s five.

    But when asked if he could ever see City eclipsing United, Solskjaer replied: “No, I can’t. The thing is, you have to have respect for what they’ve done in the last 10 years — even more so in the last four or five, with how dominant they’ve been in England and Europe. But we are Manchester United, we are always going to come back. I think we are the No 1 club in Manchester and that also probably means in the world.”

    On Saturday at noon, United face City in the 186th derby looking for a win to put them level with Pep Guardiola’s side in the Premier League table.

    Solskjaer insisted his team have put their 5-0 humiliation by Liverpool a fortnight ago behind them, adding: “We’ve taken the flak and we deserved it because it was nowhere near good enough on many levels, and now we have to play another very good team. It will show if we have learned enough.”

  • Raiola blames Solskjaer for poor Pogba form at Man Utd

    Raiola blames Solskjaer for poor Pogba form at Man Utd

    Super agent Mino Raiola blames Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the poor form of client Paul Pogba.

    BILD says Raiola blames Solskjaer for Pogba’s poor performances of late.

    Raiola is apparently so unhappy with the United manager that it’s jeopardising a potential move for another of the super-agent’s clients next summer – Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund.

    Solskjaer is desperate for his fellow Norwegian to lead United’s line next season, particularly as Cristiano Ronaldo will be approaching his 38th birthday by then.

    United narrowly missed out on signing Haaland back in 2020 when the youngster opted to join Borussia Dortmund following an impressive 12 months with Red Bull Salzburg.

    But any hopes of a successful pursuit will be dashed if Raiola isn’t happy, and the club are understandably wary of doing business with him again.

  • Man Utd coach Solskjaer surviving on playing career – McGrath

    Man Utd coach Solskjaer surviving on playing career – McGrath

    Manchester United hero Paul McGrath insists manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is living on his playing career.

    He wrote for the Sunday World: “If Ole hadn’t done so much for the club as a player, he probably wouldn’t have survived to lead the team into last night’s game at Tottenham. Yet Solskjaer is reserved a special place in United’s history and that is the primary reason why a lot of the club’s real fans will never turn against him.

    “They might think he’s not the right man to lead the club, but they will never jeer or boo him because they remember what he has done for United.

    “His 1999 Champions League-winning goal was legendary stuff and his legacy has bought him a little bit of time to continue for now.

    “He would have been expecting a big reaction from his team at Spurs last night and to be honest, United were not too good in the first half of a game that could have been Ole’s last if it all went wrong again.

    “What Solskjaer has on his side this season is some wonderful players, especially in attacking positions, who can turn a game with a moment of magic.”

  • Man Utd players text Woodward over Solskjaer sack threat

    Man Utd players text Woodward over Solskjaer sack threat

    Manchester United players have made clear their support of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to vice-chairman Ed Woodward after Sunday’s thrashing by Liverpool.

    ESPN says a number of United players sent personal messages of support to Solskjaer and to executive vice-chairman Woodward after the Liverpool defeat.

    The report claims some also sought clarity from Woodward over the managerial situation, while there is also said to have been an acknowledgement from playing staff that their own poor form has played a part in the current predicament.

    It has been suggested that Solskjaer has three games to save his job, with United reportedly prepared to act during the international break if results do not pick up before then.

    United’s next game comes away to Tottenham Hotspur, where they came from behind to win 3-1 last season after goals from Fred, Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood.