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Rob DawsonReporter
WATFORD, England – On Friday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spent his usual pregnancy press conference talking via video, about how good he is Manchester United The players trained during the international break and he believes the problems they’ve had in recent weeks have been resolved.
A game against Watford, has just been promoted Premier League and a team that didn’t score a lot and concede a lot, should have been the perfect time to do all that hard work. Instead, United served up another disastrous performance and lost 4-1; defeat seventh in 13 games and fifth in seven games.
It has become a frequent topic for United fans to ask exactly what is done in training, and it remains a mystery after they witnessed the actions following Solskjaer’s positive speech. , but it’s hard to see how the Norwegians survived this modesty.
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Watford fans sang “Ole’s at the wheel” towards the end of the game, but it may not be for long. Even after being humiliated at the hands of Liverpool and City of Manchester, the United board desperately wants Solskjaer to be available at the end of the season, but the campaign is in danger of completely falling apart.
Normally, the risk of losing money in the Champions League prompts the Glazers to take action with the managers, and United will not finish in the top four playing like this. Indeed, if time goes on, the club will be lucky to finish in the top 10.
When the final whistle blew, Solskjaer made his way to the end of the pitch and was greeted by scattered boos from supporters who remained until the end of the game. It ripples Bruno Fernandes, who seemed to gesture towards the entire team as if to say “blame us” and was eventually dragged away by Fred.
Harry Maguire was in the dressing room, sent off for two yellow cards within seven minutes of the second half making his ear-splitting celebration for England seem even more underrated. Cristiano Ronaldo no less than the United captain at the end of the game, adding another sign that this is not a club falling apart too much, but one that has gone up in smoke.
Certainly, the first question in Solskjaer’s post-game press conference was whether he believes he is still the right man for the job. He was defiant – “I’ve always had faith in myself. Of course, right now are difficult times for us. I believe we can turn the tide” – but the question arises. is: Can he?
Just over 24 hours after saying he has prioritized defensive stability for opponents, who have failed to score in seven of 11 games this season and have not won at home since opening day, Solskjaer saw Watford take a 2-0-time lead and kick themselves that it wasn’t more.
Josh King get first between the first half and Ismaila Sarr second goal just before the break, but that didn’t match the horror display United, who have kept just two clean sheets in 25 games, produced.
With the game goalless, Sarr had two similar penalties saved by David De Gea after VAR ordered them to be retaken for breaching the box, while Nemanja Matic Gifted Emmanuel Dennis a chance and King should have scored with a missed header.
It was said that, by the second goal, United’s players had trudged halfway. There was no talking, arguing or even eye contact. Not much applause or encouragement to “go on”, just a moody march, as if more punishment could not be avoided. That didn’t come about thanks to referee Jon Moss’s half-time whistle.
Donny van de Beek, replace the break with Anthony Martial, tried to resist to make it 2-1, then gave Ronaldo a chance, but it was only 10 minutes into the game when United took the lead. Watford comfortably in front of 10 men and took the lead in extra time through Joao Pedro and Dennis.
If anything, the arrival of Van de Beek was only meant to reinforce the belief that the Dutch international should have played long ago. United fans on the corner of Vicarage Street started singing his name after 10 minutes, almost a small outcry against the manager when a complete revolt against a club legend was not an option. choose.
Solskjaer said: “I understand the fans who follow the club from both sides; They’ve been great for the past few years. “It’s been a difficult period; we’ve been struggling since you Alex [Ferguson] The rest and the fans who were with us were unbelievable.
“Second [last season] We hope to start and at the moment we can’t seem to find our form,” added the United manager. I understand, it’s their right to express their opinion. I need to make the players perform better; that’s my responsibility, that’s the biggest thing now. The whole afternoon was disappointing and far from our standards”.
Hours after United’s humiliation ended on the pitch, it continued at Anfield, where Liverpool and Arsenal fans sang in the troupe for Solskjaer to stay. While United are stuck in limbo, their opponents are leaving them behind and laughing as they do so.
