'Nobody expected United would sink so low' - Man Utd greats react to insipid Manchester derby defeat
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Published 07/11/2021 at 10:42 GMT
Manchester United legends Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes have each given their opinion on the malaise engulfing the club following the derby defeat. Neville does not think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's position as manager will come under threat at the moment. "I don't think there is any chance there will be a decision during this season unless it gets so bad," he said.
'We need to come out like a hurt animal v Watford - Solskjaer after United loss to City
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to still have the backing of those above him at Manchester United, but the pressure is mounting from those outside Old Trafford.
Although the powers that be seem reluctant to make a decision, United’s latest home defeat to Manchester City, coming a fortnight after the 5-0 loss to Liverpool, has increased the frustration among the club’s fan base.
It was supposed to be different this season. The club signed Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo over the summer to raise expectations of a Premier League title challenge.
But the past few weeks have highlighted the gap between Solskjaer’s side and City and Liverpool, who have both come to Old Trafford and won incredibly comfortably.
Solskjaer’s former team-mate Gary Neville said on Saturday that “nobody would have expected United would sink so low”, but admitted he did not believe that a change would be made any time soon.
"Ole is under massive, massive pressure but the first thing that has to happen is that he needs a team with courage," Neville told Sky Sports.
"Up to the end of last season, the feeling here [at Old Trafford] was that there was progression because they finished second in the league. Everyone then thought that they got their recruitment right in the summer.
"So the club has not planned for this. I know there are some United fans who think the club should have acted two weeks ago because Antonio Conte was available, but this club was never going to appoint Conte and they are not prepared for this moment because they have the plan behind Ole.
"I don't think there is any chance there will a decision [on the manager] during this season, unless it gets so bad and it is getting to the point where it is so bad. They are 11 points off the top of the league if Chelsea win today [Chelsea drew, so United are nine points behind] and this United squad should not be [so far] off the top.
Nobody has expected this. Nobody would have expected United would sink so low at this point in the season.
"I think he has a few weeks to sort it out."
United legend Roy Keane has been outspoken on the failings of Solskjaer’s team in recent times and he did not hold back following the Manchester derby defeat.
In the Sky Sports studio at half-time, Keane bellowed “I give up!” as he examined the way Luke Shaw and David De Gea dithered as United conceded the second goal against City.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/11/06/3249736-66511993-2560-1440.jpg)
'We need to come out like a hurt animal v Watford - Solskjaer after United loss to City
Following the match, he conceded that the loss against City “felt worse” than the humiliating 5-0 reverse to Liverpool two weeks ago.
"I think Solskjaer will be under more pressure tonight than even the Liverpool game," he said.
"When you are the manager, and he's come into this game this morning speaking about the players being in a good mood, but I've been a manager and if you are going to a match and you are looking over your shoulder on the bus and you see Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Fred, and your job depends on these guys, then you are in trouble."
Keane’s former midfield partner, Paul Scholes, urged Solskjaer to show some conviction in the way that the team plays.
"The conviction has to come from the coach of the way you're going to play football. Ole has been here three years now and we've come here not really knowing what he's going to do," he told Premier League Productions.
"That makes the recruitment almost impossible because you're not buying players for a system.
"Look at Pep [Guardiola], he'll buy players for a system. He bought [Jack] Grealish this year for his system, he bought [Riyad] Mahrez in for his system. Jurgen Klopp brings Diogo Jota in as another forward for his system.
"We are bringing players in and trying to shoehorn them into positions."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement