ARE YOU CUP TO THE JOB?
Scholes surveyed the wreckage of Ole’s Young Boys defeat and declared: His rivals have all got trophies... he’s built a great squad but win something now
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER warned that Cristiano Ronaldo’s seismic return to Manchester United meant there would be no hiding place for his players.
But the same can also be said of Solskjaer, in the wake of United’s shock 2-1 Champions League loss to Swiss qualifiers Young Boys.
After such a chastening defeat there is no hiding place for Solskjaer, whose strategy and substitutions were again called into question after the self-inflicted loss.
Although the United boss could not be blamed for Aaron Wan-bissaka’s red card, his subsequent game management was found wanting.
Substituting Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, with 18 minutes left and the score 1-1, was baffling enough, as was taking off Fred for Anthony Martial in the 89th minute.
The changes backfired dramatically, with Ronaldo’s replacement, Jesse Lingard, at fault for the 95th-minute winner, his blind back-pass to
David de Gea handing Young Boys the winner.
United legend Paul Scholes, analysing for BT Sport, warned Solskjaer he cannot keep presiding over such defeats and must win a trophy after the club delivered the high-profile signings he demanded.
“It’s Basaksehir all over again,” said Scholes, referring to United’s group stage defeat to the unfancied Turkish side last season.
“We were here last season and rueing mistakes. It just goes to show, wherever you go in Europe it’s tough.
“You have to be on your game. You have to be mentally tuned in. Yeah, they started well and a decision in the game can change it. It was a bad touch, a bad tackle, then the game turned on its head totally.
“Ole has now built a squad that is capable of winning the big prizes and that’s what he’s been brought to do.
“The only difference is the quality of the managers. Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool have proven winners.
“You’ve got Ole, who has done a fantastic job building this squad. Now is the time with that squad of players – he has to win something.”
While defeat in their opening group game is not a situation from which they cannot recover, United face a tough run next month that could go a long way to defining their season.
Solskjaer’s side face Everton, Leicester, Atalanta, Liverpool and Tottenham, before travelling to Italy to face the Serie A side in the return fixture on November 2 – with the small matter of the Manchester derby four days later.
While it is too early to talk of a crisis, particularly after the euphoria of Ronaldo’s return and convincing wins over Leeds and Newcastle, there is a concern over United’s habit of self-implosion.
It has been a theme in United’s four semi-final exits under Solskjaer, as well as their Europa League final defeat to Villarreal last season, where the 47-year-old former striker was again found out when the pressure was on.
Solskjaer cannot afford too many more setbacks like the one United suffered in Switzerland if he is to avoid fresh scrutiny and pressure.
He may have only just signed a new deal until 2024, but that will count for little if United falter in the group stage and fall away in the title race.