Solskjaer faces more doubts after latest Manchester United loss

Manchester United signed Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo to bolster their squad this season and battle for both the Premier League and Champions League.

With the arrival of these talented players, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was going to have a number of options at his disposal. It also came with raised expectations meaning he’d have little room for excuses.

Following the 4-2 loss at Leicester City, Solskjaer doesn’t have an excuse to stand on with serious doubts about whether or not he is the right manager for Manchester United.

Solskjaer takes some responsibility for Manchester United woes

A common theme for United so far this season has been a lack of consistency. Solskjaer does not seem to know what his best starting lineup is and mixes and matches with varying results.

In his postgame press conference, he admitted he was to blame but also put some of the onus on his players.

"“We all need to do better, we have to do better,” Solskjaer said. “Every game in the Premier League and Champions League, they’re big games, all of them. Leicester is just as big a game as Atalanta.“We’ve got to dust ourselves off and make sure we come in again and look ourselves in the mirror. That’s the nature of football, you’ve got to respond to setbacks.”Source: ESPN"

Nothing went right for United against Leicester. The only bright spot was the return, and goal, for Marcus Rashford as well as David de Gea’s performance. Without the Spanish goalkeeper, the result could have been more lopsided.

"“The goals we conceded were disappointing,” United’s manager said. “The timing of them and the way they were conceded.“We weren’t good enough with second balls and 50-50s – the things that give you the right to win a game of football. We couldn’t get them 50-50s turning our way. It says everything when your best player is the goalie, David de Gea, and still we conceded four goals.”Source: The Guardian"

The most pointed criticism was starting Harry Maguire who was battling an injury and whose participation was in doubt all week. Solskjaer was asked about it and defended his inclusion.

"“It was my decision to play Harry,” Solskjær said. “He’s worked hard with his rehab. He’s a massive player for us. He’s our captain. Maybe he needed that first half to get going. But he got better throughout the game. The game was ebbing and flowing.”Source: The Guardian"

Already without Varane, Solskjaer felt he needed to start Maguire even if he wasn’t fully fit. If it worked out, he’d be lauded. But it didn’t so now he’s taking the hit.

His decision also comes to a lack of trust in his other defenders, Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly.

The cries asking for the Norwegian’s dismissal have only gotten louder given United have only won twice in their last seven matches in all competitions. That is simply not good enough for a club the size of United’s stature.

Those cries are likely to fall on deaf ears as his job appears safe and he recently signed a new deal, tying him to the club until at least 2024.

For better or for worse, Solskjaer is going to given every opportunity to turn things around. The number of options for a potential replacement are bleak. The only names that stand out are Zinedine Zidane and Antonio Conte.

Despite his job being relatively safe, Manchester United have a brutal schedule coming up. Their next five opponents are Atalanta, Liverpool, Tottenham, Atalanta again and then the derby against Manchester City.

Currently sitting in fifth place, five points behind Liverpool, their season could be buoyed or take a massive hit once they reach the Man City match. If they struggle and continue to slip further, Solskjaer’s position could become untenable.