Manchester
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he has come “too far” as Manchester United manager to give up now, but a 5-0 thrashing at home to Liverpool on Sunday left the Red Devils back where the Norwegian’s reign began.
Jose Mourinho was sacked in December 2018 following a 3-1 defeat at Anfield that left United sixth in the Premier League table.
A run of one point from a possible 12 has Solskjaer’s men down in seventh and already eight points off the race for the title after just nine games.
So much more was expected when United added Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane to a squad that had finished second in the Premier League last season.
Rather than take the next step to challenge Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City for a first title since 2013, United have in Solskjaer’s own words “hit a brick wall”. Now the club’s unpopular owners have a tough decision to make.
Liverpool’s last visit to Old Trafford was postponed in May as fans protested against the Glazer family in the wake of the failed European Super League project.
Ronaldo’s return headlined a £130 million ($179 million) investment in the transfer market to quell the disquiet towards the Glazers.
But their decision to hand Solskjaer a new three-year contract in July looks worse with every passing week.
Solskjaer is yet to win a trophy as United boss, but has been credited with finishing in the Premier League top four in consecutive seasons for the first time since Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013. —APP