SOFT TOUCH
figures highlight how run down united are under Ole
THE numbers engulfing failing Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer just do not stack up.
More than £400million spent on superstar signings in almost three years, but zero trophies to show is damning.
The inquest into Sunday’s humiliating 5-0 home defeat by Liverpool continues as United consider what to do next.
But to add more fuel to the fire, fresh statistics have emerged that will set the alarm bells ringing even louder.
Figures relating to Solskjaer’s flops suggest he is presiding over a team that is refusing to put in the hard yards.
In terms of distance covered by top-flight teams after nine games of the season, just six have racked up fewer miles than United. Even Newcastle, second from bottom of the Premier League, have covered more than United’s 583.49 miles. But the most telling statistic is the one relating to how much less United have run than some of their rivals in certain games.
United were the side putting in the fewer yards in all of their past five league matches, against West Ham, Aston Villa, Everton, Leicester and Liverpool.
In the clashes with Villa, Everton, Leicester and Jurgen Klopp’s side, United ran a combined 11.23 fewer miles during those matches and came away with just one point.
The most industrious three players for United have been Jesse Lingard, Edinson Cavani and Scott McTominay, all of whom are not regular starters.
Cristiano Ronaldo is second from bottom of the table when it comes to miles covered in 90 minutes, and the only one below him is Harry Maguire.
United are bottom of the league when it comes to making tackles and for duels won, 18th in terms of clean sheets, interceptions and aerial duels won and have conceded the fourth most goals and bookings.
Combine all of this with the fact that Pep Guardiola,Thomas Tuchel and Klopp remain elite managers with superior tactical acumen – and it leaves United languishing in seventh in the table and with little chance of silverware anytime soon.
It also begs the question, have United gone soft under Solskjaer? Quite frankly, the players need the sort of reality check a wise and ruthless coach like Antonio Conte or Mauricio Pochettino would provide.
They need to be coached from a set of individual superstars into a cohesive team with a plan, otherwise United will remain circling on the same tragic roundabout they have been stuck on since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.