TIME RUNNING OUT FOR OLE
WE’VE been here before, haven’t we? A fortnight ago, in fact.
Manchester United subjected to a chastening home defeat by a major rival, followed by the obligatory apologies from players and a similarly contrite admission from boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It has become a recurring theme in recent weeks, as a season of such promise for United has unravelled even before the Christmas decorations go up, the club mired in crisis once again.
The scoreline may not have been as brutal as the 5-0 mauling by Liverpool, but the manner of the defeat, Manchester City’s total dominance over their feeble local rivals, made it feel just as crushing.
It is hard to recall a more one-sided Manchester derby, City toying with their passive neighbours throughout in a contest where the visitors were playing within themselves and still winning at a canter.
City manager Pep Guardiola did not make a substitution and was able to leave £100million signing Jack Grealish, the most expensive player in British football, on the bench throughout.
Guardiola joked before the game that United would try to invoke ‘Fergie Time’ to win, but the Reds could have played until nightfall at Old Trafford and still not laid a glove on their neighbours.
An Eric Bailly own-goal and a far-post finish from Bernardo Silva sealed the win, but City could have won by seven or eight, were it not for some fine David De Gea saves and slack finishing.
Four points from a possible 18 is sackable form, but Solskjaer may limp on, if only because the only realistic candidate to replace him, Antonio Conte, was snapped up by Tottenham.
Unlike Spurs, who acted decisively to end the short and ill-fated reign of Nuno Espirito Santo, United have dithered over Solskjaer, to the point where there is no credible alternative.
Conte is unavailable, Mauricio Pochettino, long coveted by United and former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, is now at Paris Saint-Germain, while Zinedine Zidane has ruled himself out.
Brendan Rodgers has previously committed himself to Leicester, while Ajax’s Erik ten Hag would be a gamble, despite having won two Dutch titles and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
The regression at United under Solskjaer this season is impossible to ignore, even though owners the Glazers continue to turn a blind eye to the demise of the world’s self-proclaimed biggest club.
A change of manager is required, but those entrusted with making the decision lack the courage or competence to do so.
Until that happens, United will be mired in mediocrity, their rich history and heritage their only comfort and source of pride.