United’s season still so uncertain for Ole

UNITED are on a 12-match unbeaten run, yet their situation in the Premier League is still scary.

Wolves are level on points with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men and their runin is enviable: Bournemouth, Arsenal, Everton, and Crystal Palace at home and away to Aston Villa, Sheffield United, Burnley, and Chelsea.

As churlish as it is to demean an impressive run, the Reds have still not won more than two successive Premier League matches – they have three wins and three draws from their last six. A harsher summary would be four wins from 10 this calendar year, albeit United last lost in the league on January 22, back when Bruno Fernandes was still at Sporting Lisbon and militant supporters were yet to rendezvous at Ed Woodward’s manor.

Twelve points from 18 is a commendable return from a sequence of matches that involved trips to Champions League competitors Chelsea and Tottenham and an unforgiving Goodison Park, as well as the visits of Wolves and City. Watford were dismissed effortlessly.

With the Europa League on hiatus until August, United do not have the stats-padding of European minnows to enhance their run. The second leg with LASK Linz is still over six weeks away and it is not a coincidence their shellackings in 2020 have been meted out to Europa League fodder, a relegated League One side and Norwich, who are about to assume Championship status.

United’s big-game nous was still present during those variable five months pre-Fernandes, but they have hardly had a chance to eradicate their small-time mentality with their new totem. United have dropped 23 points against bottom-half sides and play five of them in their next eight.

Three of those fixtures are at home and the intimidation factor at away grounds is non-existent in post-COVID football, so however impressively United might navigate their remaining matches it would be a misleading gauge of the Reds’ new mettle. It would at least secure an invitation to the Champions League group stage draw.

Should their domestic run-in spiral then they would still have the benefit of the Europa League summer finale in Germany to salvage a variable season, barring the mother of all comebacks by LASK.

Roy Keane scoffed at United merely competing to return to the Champions League on Friday night yet imminent re-entry is in their interests ahead of a testing transfer window.

Representatives of certain targets have already informed United Champions League football has to be a part of the package and Uefa have recommended the next window closes on October 5.

The Europa League final is scheduled for August 21 and the Reds could do without a mere 45 days to enhance their squad for next season.

Alternatively, Uefa and the Court of Arbitration for Sport could reprieve United’s possible ‘failure’ of a fifthplaced finish.

City are due to discover the outcome of their two-year ban from European football before the season ends.

■ BRAZIL legend Ronaldo has opened the doors for Alexis Sanchez to join Real Valladolid. The United forward is on a season-long loan at Inter Milan but his struggles have continued in Italy and the Chilean is set to return to Old Trafford when the campaign ends. The Reds would ideally off-load Sanchez this summer, but his lofty wages mean it is unlikely a permanent buyer will be found. Ronaldo, who is president of La Liga club Real Valladolid, however, has offered a possible route out of United for the player. “Alexis Sanchez has succeeded wherever he’s gone. He has a lot of quality,” Ronaldo said. “If he doesn’t succeed at Inter, Valladolid will open their doors to him.” Valladolid sit 15th in La Liga, seven points clear of Mallorca in 18th position. They lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid in their latest game on Saturday. Ahead of United’s game against Tottenham last week, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hinted Sanchez could yet play for United again. “Of course there’s a place for good players and good people in this environment,” Solskjaer said. “Let’s see where we get to after the season because we do feel this squad is exciting. We do feel we’re on the way to something.”