Pressure on Solskjaer hots up

It could be a gloomy weekend for Manchester as Liverpool look to be unstoppable with United battling injuries and their worst league start in 30 years and City facing Crystal Palace, one of the few sides to beat them last season.

Speculation over the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United manager has been growing in recent weeks and defeat at home to Liverpool on Sunday could hasten, or even precipitate, an exit. The baby-faced Norwegian had the club in a tizz when he first arrived and picked up results in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s dismissal. So much so, his temporary status was changed to a permanent one but as his tenure was confirmed so the result went pear-shaped.

Now United have posted their worst league start in 30 years and go into the weekend in 12th place, with two wins from eight games and a paltry total of nine points.

The contrast with the full haul of 24 points from eight games for Liverpool could not be starker.

Solskjaer could be without up to nine first-team players because of injury, including Paul Pogba and goalkeeper David de Gea, which means that Sergio Romero will make his first league start in 17 months.

Also likely to miss out are right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who had tonsillitis; Anthony Martial with a thigh injury and Luke Shaw struggling to recover from a hamstring injury.

Jesse Lingard, Mason Greenwood, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones are also out.

Solskjaer could line up with a back four of Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Ashley Young, with Scott McTominay and Fred or Nemanja Matic sitting in front. In attack, Solskjaer has limited options.

It all points to Liverpool extending their winning streak. They have had a relative amount of success at Old Trafford before.

Champions Manchester City will play tomorrow away at Crystal Palace, who it will be remembered were one of the few clubs to beat them in last season’s campaign.

Two defeats already this season have highlighted problems at the back for Pep Guardiola’s team, although it is hard to see them losing successive matches.

Plus Kevin de Bruyne is due back after recovering from a hamstring tear.

Third placed Arsenal do not play until Monday night when they go to Bramall Lane for the first time in more than a decade. Sheffield United are a tricky opponent who might spring a surprise and provide punters with a decent payout.