Solskjaer left fretting over United sick notes as his problems pile up
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer is reviewing why struggling Manchester United have suffered so many injuries this season.
Solskjaer has made it a priority to improve fitness levels he felt were lacking under his predecessor Jose Mourinho but an increase in training intensity has coincided with a run of issues that have stretched United’s thin squad.
Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka missed United’s last league game, Paul Pogba has played just twice since August and Jesse Lingard became the latest victim when he limped off against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday with a muscular problem.
Though Solskjaer won’t go into detail about United’s investigation, he sees it as an important part of his job to increase his players’ physical powers.
United go to Newcastle today without a win in four matches and haven’t beaten anyone away from Old Trafford since March. Celtic physio Tim Williamson has been linked with a move to Old Trafford to improve the crock situation.
‘There’s loads of different reasons players get injuries. It’s something we are looking at,’ said Solskjaer.
‘We are working on improving every department in the club. There will be headlines if I say this, that or the other. If you are going to survive in modern-day football, you have to be fit.
‘You have to be fitter than they were when I came in. We are working on it and they will get there.’
Only Norwich City have had more absentees this season than United and Solskjaer has indicated Pogba won’t be risked at St James’ Park as he battles against a recurring ankle knock.
The number of muscular issues will also trouble the Norwegian. Martial and Shaw haven’t played since the end of August due to thigh and hamstring injuries respectively, while Lingard is also ruled out today with a thigh strain.
Eric Bailly and Timothy FosuMensah have had significant time off with knee injuries and United have cited injury as the reason Phil Jones didn’t travel to Holland in midweek. Wan-Bissaka has missed the last two games with tonsilitis.
It’s all added to a worrying start to the season for United who look as far away from challenging the top clubs as at any time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.