OLE HABITS
Solskjaer desperate for a repeat of last year’s festive fightback
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER needs history to repeat itself in the coming weeks if he is to resurrect Manchester United’s season – and ultimately save his job.
With just four points from 18, a run which included back-to-back home defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City, United have slipped to sixth in the table and are nine points off the top.
Despite that Solskjaer has clung on to his position, although that is more down to a lack of available potential replacements than any firm faith in his ability to turn things around.
This time last year, United won seven of nine league games to rise from 14th to second, where they finished the season, and Solskjaer needs something similar to ease the growing pressure on him.
After giving his squad a week off, the Norwegian coach and his players returned to training on Tuesday to prepare for what is shaping up to be the defining period of their turbulent season.
Between now and the end of the year, United have 11 games – nine in the Premier League and two in the Champions League – in which the beleaguered manager cannot afford any more setbacks. First up on Saturday are struggling Watford, who have won just once in four games under
Claudio Ranieri. Against that backdrop, Solskjaer could not have wished for more welcoming opponents – but it is a must-win game for him.
Failure to do so would intensify the pressure and scrutiny on him and make it even harder for the United board to justify their continued backing of him.
Then United travel to Villarreal, who beat them in last year’s Europa League Final, where defeat would see their hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16 go down to the final group game.
A third successive away game sees them travel to Premier League leaders Chelsea, where a fifth league defeat of the season could signal the end for Solskjaer after nearly three years in charge.
Given their wretched league form of late at Old Trafford – one point from 12 – Solskjaer must be thankful the next three games are away, a point endorsed by United legend Denis Irwin.
“We’ve got three away games within a week or so and that might be good for us, that we’re away, because our home form has not been great of late,” said Irwin.
“They are three big matches. At Watford, start on the front foot and get back to winning ways. Villarreal won’t be easy but hopefully we can get a point over there.
“And, of course, Chelsea away. It’s a big week for us and we must make sure we stick together and really try to get going again.
“We’ve stuttered and it’s been a tough month and a half really. We had a good result at Spurs but the five or six league games prior to that have been difficult.
“We’re under pressure as we’ve fallen out of the top four and there’s distance between us and the top two or three.”
As well as a lack of credible candidates to replace him, what has also kept Solskjaer in a job is that teams above United have suffered surprising blips, unlike in recent seasons. Chelsea, beaten at home by
City in September, drew with Burnley before the international break, while Pep Guardiola’s side have lost to Tottenham and Crystal Palace as well as dropping points at home to Southampton.
Liverpool have dropped points against Brentford and Brighton and their defeat at West Ham helped keep United within touching distance of the top four.
But if Solskjaer is to remain in charge of United, he needs to start a winning run this weekend.
After such a dismal start to the season, there is no more margin for error.