When Ole Gunnar Solskjær was permanently appointed as Manchester United’s manager, he already had his task cut out for him in the Premier League. When the Norwegian took charge, United were sixth in the Premier League and 11 points off the top four.
They lost only once in their next 13 league games and were primed to make a top-four finish. But as the season went on, United failed to churn out victories which saw them settle for a Europa League finish.
United’s start to the 2019-20 season has been disastrous and even the summer signings have not helped improve their form.
As per The Sun, Mauricio Pochettino is set to be appointed as the successor to Solskjaer at Old Trafford.
Solskjær has won only four out of 14 league matches this season in United’s worse start since 1988-89. With 18 points, the Red Devils are eight behind fourth-placed Chelsea and six above Southampton in the final relegation berth.
Pochettino, on the other hand, is without a job after being sacked by Spurs. The Argentine manager was wielded the axe by club chairman Daniel Levy after a string of poor results which saw the North Londoners languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
He has been replaced by Jose Mourinho, who was sacked by United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward sometime back.
But it is worth noting that Ole’s impact has been limited due to several injuries to key players. Paul Pogba has missed more games than he has played this season while forward Anthony Martial was out in the initial weeks.
Scott McTominay, who has been highly impressive, is also currently out injured. Eric Bailly and Luke Shaw have been on the sidelines for a long period of time as well. As a result, Solskjær has been unable to play a full-strength side.
During his time at United, however, Ole’s willingness to promote several academy players into the first-team has paid off. Mason Greenwood is already showing what he is capable of and in Brandon Williams, United probably have found their future left-back.
Williams, who made his senior team debut this season, has put in consistent performances, resulting in the manager calling off the search for a new left-back.
Meanwhile, Pochettino also made a name for himself at Spurs by bringing in new players but sticking to Solskjær makes more sense for Ed Woodward and the club, as the former player knows his players and the internal workings inside out.
Liverpool also struggled for a number of years and there was a time when many managers came in and left. Now, however, they have transitioned into one of the most dangerous sides in Europe.
Verdict
Considering Pochettino’s experience in managing a top side in the Premier League, he would be an excellent choice for Manchester United but the club should stick to the Norwegian and give him a longer rope to prove himself.
Despite being inconsistent, Ole’s United have performed extremely well against top-six opponents. If he is able to do this on a regular basis, the Red Devils would be capable of returning as a formidable force in Europe.