Solskjaer survives storm of criticism after Liverpool crushing

Manchester, October 27 (BUS): Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was given a chance to turn things around at the club and come to terms with Sunday’s 5-0 defeat at home to Liverpool.

Despite speculation that he is due to be replaced after nearly three years in the job, Solskjaer remains in office and multiple sources have told Reuters he will be in charge of Saturday’s game against Tottenham Hotspur, Reuters reported.

United’s players and staff were due to return to their training ground in Carrington on Tuesday as the Norwegian begins the task of dealing with the shock performance against Liverpool and preparing for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur.

And after the trip to Tottenham, United travel to Italy to face Atalanta in the Serie A on Tuesday. United top Group F midway and are in a strong position to reach the last 16 of the competition.

And these two matches follow a confrontation at home with Manchester City led by Pep Guardiola, when Solskjaer cannot afford to repeat the Liverpool disaster.

Sources close to the club said United did not want to make a quick decision and are now focused on fixing problems with the team’s performance and results.

That loyalty came despite heavy pressure being put on Solskjaer, 48, after Sunday’s humiliation. Media reports that Antonio Conte, the former coach of Juventus and Chelsea, is “interested” in the job, and there are allegations of dissatisfaction in the locker room.

But Solskjaer will know that any continuation of results and performances like Sunday would make his position unacceptable at a club that has not won the Premier League since Alex Ferguson’s last season in charge in 2013.

United finished second in the Premier League last season and reached the Europa League final before including French defender Raphael Varane, England winger Jadon Sancho and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

These signings, and notably the return of Ronaldo, have raised hopes that United might bid for the title this season, but the team have won just one point from their last four games and appear to be lacking at the level needed to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool. in the lead.

However, since Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho in December 2018, initially on a temporary basis, the club has worked on a long-term transformation to restore the “culture” of the Ferguson years, which Solskjaer experienced as a player.

The gradual improvements led to Solskjaer receiving a contract extension in July, meaning his deal is valid until 2024 with an option for an additional year. Assistant Director, Mike Phelan, received a similar extension this month.

Having made those commitments, United were not willing to abandon their plans on the basis of a sudden, albeit dramatic, decline in form.

Solskjaer’s first priority now will certainly be to tighten a defense that was sly against Liverpool and in the 4-2 loss to Leicester City a week ago.

The return of Varane, the former Real Madrid midfielder from injury, would be a huge help in this regard, but a change of form and system, and a return to a more compact and focused approach to counter-attack from earlier in his reign, would also make sense.

But Solskjaer will first need to deal with a group of players who are still hurt by the blows at the hands of their old rivals.