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Solskjaer once again finds a win when he needs it most
There seemed to be a wish from some ‘fans’ on social media for Manchester United to lose at Goodison Park with Mauricio Pochettino waiting behind the scenes for any change of direction.
However, it looks like he’ll be waiting a bit longer given the nature of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s and his team’s response on Saturday lunchtime.
The United manager reiterated his belief that he has the backing of the club before the game and it is important to note that the management is reluctant to make a change of direction so early in the season.
United’s inconsistency is the main problem with Solskjaer, but they fully deserved three points in Merseyside, just as they did not deserve any points against Arsenal and Istanbul Basaksehir.
Solskjaer has a knack for getting out of difficult situations and until he does repeat the feat, he will remain in command. After this victory, he will definitely be in charge against West Brom in fifteen days.
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Follow the leader
It’s been a week since Roy Keane criticized United’s on-field leadership credentials, questioning whether they even had a leader in their squad after a terrible loss to Arsenal. Seven days later he was made to eat his words.
Bruno Fernandes was the catalyst at Goodison Park. His vocal leadership could be heard by viewers at home, but actions speak louder than words, and it was his performance on the field that dragged his team back into the game.
As we’ve seen so many times in 2020, Fernandes knows how to take a game by the nape and isn’t worried about taking out his teammates if they aren’t up to his own standards.
Keane is right that United don’t have enough club leaders, but the ones that do are worth their weight in gold.
Fine margins
Whenever we end up reminiscing about Solskjaer’s time in charge of United, one of the associated buzzwords will be “thin margins.” The manager often cites the narrow difference between success and failure in top-notch football and it is something that has been present throughout his time at the club.
It seems that each of his weeks at United has seen a meteoric rise or a depressing decline. United’s win at Goodison Park means they have now won seven straight Premier League away games for the first time since 1993 and are off to a better start than last season. A loss would have marked the worst start to a league season since 1987.
It is these good margins that make judging your success so difficult, for every positive there is a negative, for every record that is broken, there is also a record low.
This weekend he deserves credit for a good away win in which his team’s selection and tactics were on point again.
Fears of fitness
Solskjaer has identified achieving high levels of fitness as a key part of his plan at United, repeatedly stating that his team should never be outmatched by an opponent.
The United manager promised to improve fitness levels during his first preseason a year ago with Charlie Owens appointed as fitness trainer and Ed Leng appointed as the club’s new lead sports scientist following a recommendation from Solskjaer’s former co-coach and mentor, Warren Joyce.
United sources revealed that there would be a greater emphasis on running during training games and tactical drills and the club revealed that total running distance increased 10 percent, after high-intensity drills increased 50 percent. compared to the final preseason of José Mourinho. in charge. However, the same concerns remain.
Solskjaer pointed to the tight match schedule as an explanation for such a drop in performance levels, but perhaps the biggest problem for United has not been the physical condition of their players, but how they have actually managed them.
The manager deserves sympathy for dealing with the relentless match schedule, but it is he who ultimately selects the most of the same players week after week and, unlike last season, United now have the strength to to face the rigorous campaign of this campaign. demands.
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