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Tag: Solskjaer

  • Alex Ferguson names coach to replace Solskjaer at Man Utd

    Alex Ferguson names coach to replace Solskjaer at Man Utd

    Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson wants Mauricio Pochettino to be the next manager of the football club, should they sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    Ferguson is said to have advocated for Solskjaer to get a last chance to turn around the team’s fortunes in games against Tottenham, Atalanta, and Manchester City before the international break.

    That is according to reports in the British media over the past few days.

    Now the Daily Star suggests that Pochettino is the man Ferguson wants to succeed Solskjaer, should the Norway coach fail to lift the team in the coming week or two.

    United are also said to have held talks with Italian manager Antonio Conte, who left Inter Milan in the summer after winning Serie A.

    Pochettino is currently in charge at Paris Saint-Germain, but there is some doubt about his position in Paris, given their indifferent performances of late.

  • Manchester United chiefs make decision on Conte

    Manchester United chiefs make decision on Conte

    Manchester United board are not in contact with former Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte.

    The Manchester Evening News says United chiefs are yet to make any contact with Conte due to reservations over the Italian’s suitability to take the reins at Old Trafford.

    A dark cloud has formed over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure, with pressure now on the club to axe their current boss and seek a replacement.

    Conte is the name most-heavily linked with the role, given his availability and impressive track record of success in previous roles, including at Chelsea and his latest Serie A title triumph with Inter Milan.

    The 52-year-old is also said to be open to the role as Solskjaer’s would-be successor, yet the United hierarchy have some concerns.

  • Bailly confronts Solskjaer about Maguire selection against Leicester

    Bailly confronts Solskjaer about Maguire selection against Leicester

    Eric Bailly openly questioned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s decision to start Harry Maguire against Leicester City, reports have claimed.

    The Ivory Coast international was expecting to get his chance against the Foxes with Maguire struggling with a calf injury.

    Despite training once before the match, Maguire started and performed miserably as United went down 4-2.

    According to The Telegraph, Bailly talked to Solskjaer about his decision and asked the Red Devils boss ‘why he picked a centre-half who was not fit’.

    Some players have accused Solskjaer of having favouritism with some players, as well as questioning why he hasn’t picked Donny van de Beek and Jesse Lingard.

    The Norwegian is under pressure to keep his job after United were embarrassed 5-0 by Liverpool.

  • It is not yet time to replace Solskjaer – Robson

    It is not yet time to replace Solskjaer – Robson

    Manchester United great Bryan Robson has urged the club to stand with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    Robson wrote for the Daily Mail: “This was embarrassing but you can’t say it hasn’t been coming. The pressing game that United have tried to adopt just isn’t working. The players are not adjusting to whatever Ole is asking them to do and the system needs to change.

    “The best performances from this team in recent seasons have come from being compact, strong defensively and hitting teams on the counter attack.

    “But it’s not the time to sack Ole. I do believe he will keep his job.

    “It’s easy to clamour for the manager to go after such a painful defeat but change now causes more upheaval.

    “The club have found that changes every couple of years just don’t work and who do you replace him with? I’m not sure there’s a candidate who can make such a significant difference without causing major disruption again.

    “We have to accept Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City are still a way ahead of us. That gap, for me, would close if we changed our system.”

  • EPL: Cristiano Ronaldo superior to Salah – Solskjaer

    EPL: Cristiano Ronaldo superior to Salah – Solskjaer

    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Cristiano Ronaldo is a superior striker to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

    The pair will face-off on Sunday at Old Trafford.

    Solskjaer offered his thoughts on the Salah-Ronaldo comparisons.

    “I will always back Cristiano Ronaldo in any competition,” he said. “His goal-scoring record is fantastic. That said, Mohamed Salah is on fire.

    “We have to be at our best to defend against him. We have to do a good job, not just against him.

    “I am a big admirer of their frontline. They’re players you have to be nailed on for 95 minutes against to keep a clean sheet.

    “Liverpool are one of the teams we’ve been trying to catch over the last four years. We have to improve to get up to their level of the last four years.”

  • ‘It was a silly thing to say’, Carragher reacts to Solskjaer’s comment

    ‘It was a silly thing to say’, Carragher reacts to Solskjaer’s comment

    Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher says Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will regret his post-match interview after their Champions League win against Atalanta.

    Asked about the halftime jeers, Solskjaer said post-match that the fans “know they’re better than that” after what he described as “grumbling” with his team trailing the Italian side by two goals.

    “I thought it was a strange interview that. The comment he made about the fans was a silly thing to say,” Carragher said in reaction.

    “The fans I think won them that game in the second-half.

    “Man United, coming in at half-time 2-0 down to Atalanta and I don’t think they were that poor but you’re going to get grumblings, people who are unhappy.

    “It’s not just that game, it’s a poor run of games and the performance they had at Leicester. When that ground is rocking, it is difficult to stop.

    “I have been there as a player and it’s difficult to stop, teams get deeper and deeper.

    “The supporters are as important as Cristiano Ronaldo, or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, or the changes he made in the second half. It was a really silly thing to say that the supporters should know better when they played such a huge part in winning them the game.”

  • Man Utd board behind Solskjaer after Leicester defeat

    Man Utd board behind Solskjaer after Leicester defeat

    Manchester United’s board are standing by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after defeat at Leicester City.

    The Athletic reports Solskjaer will not be axed in the wake of the latest setback with the board still throwing their weight behind him.

    Solskjaer still has ‘a lot of credit in the bank’ as far as the hierarchy at Old Trafford are concerned.

    And it is this belief in his project that will see him spared from another big change at the helm, regardless of United’s three-game winless run in the league.

    The Norwegian’s contract runs to 2024.

    United’s defeat at the King Power brought an end to their 29-game unbeaten run away from home, a league record.

  • Ronaldo to Solskjaer: I’ll tell you when I should be rested

    Ronaldo to Solskjaer: I’ll tell you when I should be rested

    Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo has told manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer not to bench him.

    Ronaldo delivered the message to Manchester United boss Ole after being on the bench for the 1-1 draw with Everton a fortnight ago.

    A United source told The Sun: “Ronaldo was extremely disappointed for being benched.

    “Ole presumed that he was tired after the Villarreal game, so he decided to only put him on early in the second half.

    “But Cristiano told him that he will tell him when he isn’t fit to play and that he wants to play in every single league game.

    “He also told him that he has come here to win trophies and that United need to play their most important players in all of the games.”

    Solskjaer benched Ronaldo for the Toffees’ visit, believing the 36-year-old needed a rest after playing a full game against Villarreal three days earlier — where he scored the 95th-minute winner.

    And Ron’s frustration was clear for all to see when he marched down the tunnel at the final whistle of the draw with Everton, having replaced Edinson Cavani after 57 minutes.

  • Alex Ferguson corrects Solskjaer: Ronaldo should have started against Everton

    Alex Ferguson corrects Solskjaer: Ronaldo should have started against Everton

    Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should have started Cristiano Ronaldo against Everton.

    The Red Devils could only manage a 1-1 draw against the Toffees, despite dominating possession for long portions of the contest on Saturday in the Premier League.

    Ronaldo, who has made an impressive goal scoring start to the season, did not come on until later in the second half.

    Edinson Cavani got the nod to start in his place, after Ronaldo’s heroics in the Champions League against Villarreal in midweek.

    A video posted by MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov included a conversation with Sir Alex, with Ferguson saying, “you should always start your best players.”

    “But I also think that they [Everton] saw Ronaldo wasn’t playing…”

    Khabib replied: “Yeah, but he came on in the second half…”

    And the Scotsman responded: “I know but you should always start with your best players.”

    Asked whether he regretted his decision to bench Ronaldo against Everton, Solskjaer said: “No!

    “You make decisions throughout a long, long season and you have to manage the players workload and the decision for me was the correct one.

    “Anthony Martial came in and did well, scored a good goal. Edinson needed minutes, he got an hour and could have had a goal. It was a great cross and good chance for him. We have to make those decisions at times.”

  • Man Utd coach Solskjaer reacts to sack talk

    Man Utd coach Solskjaer reacts to sack talk

    Embattled boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is confident Manchester United can improve following a stop-start run of results in all competitions.

    The Red Devils have won only five of ten games in all competitions, while they are already out of the League Cup.

    United dropped more Premier League points at the weekend, drawing 1-1 at home to a depleted Everton side.

    Their next run of matches includes clashes such as Leicester City away, Liverpool at home, Tottenham Hotspur away, and Manchester City at home.

    But Solskjaer is adamant that he can get the best out of his squad.

    “It is the same question that was asked after Wednesday night,” Solskjaer told reporters.

    “I’m very confident that we will get the best out of this squad.

    “A lot has happened this month and we’ve had Raphael and Jadon with us since August, and Cristiano since September. We’ve got loads to work on and we need to improve, we know that and I know that.

    “But I do believe in this group of players and the coaching staff that I’ve got. So, the short answer is yes.

    “I believe in these players, I believe in the coaching staff and I believe we have something going. The proof is in the pudding, we need results and you have to turn up.

    “You can’t say ‘we did well against City and Tottenham last year’, we have to do it during the 90 minutes, whoever plays. That is the challenge.

    “Because every game in the Champions League and Premier League is a big game against a good team and every game as Manchester United is a potential banana skin, as we are expected to win every one.”