You have lost the players, old mate
MARK BOSNICH believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already lost the support of the Manchester United dressing room if the evidence of Sunday’s crushing 5-0 defeat is taken at face value.
The former United goalkeeper saw no fight, identity or obvious plan of action as his former club were put to the sword by Liverpool.
And, while he took no pleasure in suggesting support for his old team-mate’s reign was haemorrhaging from within, he maintained the club may have to act by next week to stop the rot.
Bosnich said: “You can talk about tactics, you can talk about having a clear playing identity but, if players are not executing it, if they’re not doing the basic things, if they look – as they did on Sunday – like they just do not want to play for the manager, all those other things you can be ruled out.
“Last week I said we will see how much the players really want to play for Ole because this is a really crucial month.
“And against Liverpool I thought we saw the answer to that.
“There seems to be far deeper problems than we are hearing about, deeper problems than having an identity or a way of playing.
“It looks as though the players are looking for a way out.”
Not one
United player shone for
Solskjaer on
Sunday as the Norwegian’s side slumped to their worst home defeat against their biggest rivals in the club’s history.
It continued a poor run, with United having now lost three of their last four Premier League games and five of their last nine in all competitions.
It could have been even worse but for a second-half fightback from 2-0 down against Atalanta to win in the Champions League last Wednesday.
Things will not get easier over the next three games either, with trips to Tottenham and Atalanta followed by the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, all in an eight-day period.
And Bosnich believes the visit of Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions could be the one to end Solskjaer’s reign.
The Australian said: “If they happen to lose those three games, which looks a massive possibility, I don’t see there being any other choice, as much as I want Ole to do well.
“If this continues, there is no other choice for the board.
“I heard Gary Neville saying he thought he would be given until the end of the season but does he really think United supporters are going to be putting up with this week-in, week-out, just to go to the end of the season?”