October 04, (THEWILL) – Without any indications of being oblivious of the immense expectations of his role as manager at Old Trafford, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed himself to bring the best out of his Manchester United players, claiming that he is the ideal man for the job.
The expensive arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Raphael Varane this summer, have seen the Norwegian come under increasing pressure from supporters for his struggles in turning United into an all-dominant side, with some suggesting the manager is reliant on moments of individual brilliance from his big names.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Everton did not help Solskjaer’s cause, as he started the game with Ronaldo, Sancho, and Paul Pogba on the bench, and watched as United came perilously near to losing the game.
Despite the rising pressure, Solskjaer reassured supporters that he is the best candidate for the job at he said: “It’s the same question that was asked after Wednesday night (the 2-1 win over Villarreal). I’m very confident that we will get the best out of this squad.
“A lot has happened this month. We’ve had Raphael and Jadon with us since August and Cristiano since September. We’ve got loads to work on and we need to improve, we know that and I know that; but I do believe in this group of players and the coaching staff that I’ve got. So, the short answer is: yes.
“I believe in these players, I believe in the coaching staff and I believe we have something going. The proof is in the pudding, we need results and you have to turn up. You can’t say: ‘We did well against City and Tottenham last year.’ We need to do it during the 90 minutes, whoever plays.
“That is the challenge because every game in the Premier League and the Champions League is a big game against a good team. And every game as Manchester United is a potential banana skin for us, because we are expected to win every one.”
Supporters’ concerns have yet to be shared by those in charge at Old Trafford. After all, United has only lost once in the Premier League and is only two points behind the leaders, but some sceptics have pointed out the calibre of opposition United has faced.
They are yet to play any of the traditional ‘big six’ and have largely been limited to sides in the lower half of the league table.
That will change over the next few months, however. United’s next four games are against Leicester, Liverpool, Tottenham and current champions Manchester City, with European champions Chelsea and Arsenal both on the horizon as well.
It is left to be seen if the management will continue to view Solskjaer’s handling of the team positively after these turn of games.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
