Solskjaer backs his defenders despite another shaky display
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER says Manchester United have enough quality at centre half despite another porous defensive performance at Brighton.
United conceded twice in their remarkable 3-2 victory at the Amex Stadium that was clinched with a 100th-minute penalty that was awarded after the game had ended.
Brighton hit the woodwork five times in a luckless defeat and United have now conceded five goals in their first two Premier League matches when last season they took six games to ship the same amount.
Victor Lindelof started again following criticism of his performance against Crystal Palace and Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo are not under consideration for selection as they prepare for possible transfers. Phil Jones is still injured and Axel Tuanzebe is not yet match-fit.
“We’ve got many defenders here and I put Eric [Bailly] on to bolster the defence, following the runs of [Leandro] Trossard and [Neal] Maupay,” Solskjaer said. “So, for me, we’ve got enough good centrebacks here at the moment.
“When you concede chances and concede goals there are two different things you can look at: it’s the team shape or are there any individual mistakes. For me, we’re not in our best shape of form, our shape isn’t there, we’re not sharp enough to stop crosses or follow the runs.
“We’re a little bit behind and that’s structural mistakes than individual mistakes. I thought Victor did well today.” Despite the fortuitous manner of their win, United have recorded their first points of the new season going into next week’s visit of Tottenham. Brighton had a secondhalf penalty overturned by the Video Assistant Referee, which then advised on-pitch referee Chris Kavanagh to consult the pitchside monitor as Maupay had handled Harry Maguire’s stoppage-time header.
Kavanagh had blown up for fulltime but had to restart the match for Bruno Fernandes to take the penalty kick after Solly March appeared to have claimed a draw with his 95th-minute strike. Solskjaer accepted United were lucky to win.
“I don’t think we’ve ever scored after the final whistle but, of course, the handball was before full-time,”
Solskjaer added. “It was probably the right thing to do [to check the handball]. For us, it was a big thing.
“We were the team that lost the fewest games apart from Liverpool last season but we drew too many and to get two extra points after conceding late on is a great boost for us.
“We’ve got to be honest enough to say they created the most chances. Maybe 50-50 possession but they had loads of shots, big chances and that’s not what we want. We need to improve a lot.
“The spirit and character of the boys I don’t question at all, the spirit is there. The sharpness and fitness might not be but it’s going to come. We’ve got three or four weeks to catch up and the more games we play, more 90 minutes we get, we’ll be sharper and sharper.”