SOLSKJAER TAKES BIG STEP BACKWARDS
AFTER emerging from a second inquest in a week, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was asked if the bounce that so often accompanies a change of manager is now over. Has the bubble burst? Is the honeymoon period at an end? Has the feelgood factor that Solskjaer brought to Manchester United met its match in cold, hard reality? It’s a fair question. The Norwegian has been widely praised for the transformation at United since he returned as caretaker manager, and rightly so. But after back-to-back defeats by Arsenal in the Premier League and now Wolves in the FA Cup, United are outside the top four again and out of the FA Cup, their best chance of a trophy this season.
Suddenly, a lot more rests on beating Barcelona to reach the Champions League semi-finals. Solskjaer said the pain of defeat by Arsenal would safeguard against a repeat at Wolves, but it made little difference to the result in what he admitted was United’s poorest showing on his watch. It was, he accepted, a ‘big step backwards’. The idea of a bounce is that players respond to a new manager and approach — Solskjaer no longer has that in his favour. Perhaps the old problems he papered over are beginning to show through. Then again, United’s resurgence since he took over more than three months ago has lasted long enough to suggest that it was never just a bounce. Either way, there is no doubt that he enjoys overwhelming support in the dressing room. ‘I want Ole to stay, he is a great manager,’ said midfielder Nemanja Matic. ‘I’m sure he’ll turn this situation around and we will do better. ‘When you win 10 games, that means a lot, because it is not easy. I’m not making an excuse, but we lost to two good sides. ‘We have to give our best now to reach the top four. We have eight finals to play and cannot let it go on like this.’
Meanwhile, forward Anthony Martial has withdrawn from the France squad for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers due to a knee injury suffered in the defeat by Wolves. Centre back Victor Lindelof will miss Sweden duty for personal reasons.