Solskjaer’s ‘primitive tactics’ cost him players’ respect

Joe Williams
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Anthony Martial Manchester United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lost the respect of the Manchester United players during their defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, according to reports.

United had a resurgence after sacking Jose Mourinho and appointing Solskjaer, who won 14 of his 19 games while in caretaker charge of the club, but it is now eight defeats in his last 12 matches, highlighting the scale of the rebuilding job ahead in the summer.

And S0lskjaer even admitted himself recently that challenging for the Premier League title next season would be “miraculous”.

The United players produced a great away display against all the odds to beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16 after being 2-0 down from the first leg at Old Trafford.

However, Solskjaer’s men failed to produce similar heroics against Barcelona in the quarter-finals, when United lost 4-0 on aggregate.

And now The Sun claims that United’s players ‘wanted to give it a go’ at home to Barca but Solskjaer ‘set cautious, primitive tactics’ fearing the worst from Lionel Messi.

Subsequently United lost 1-0 in the first leg and the report adds that Solskjaer lost ‘his standing in the dressing room’ and the job has since ‘overwhelmed him’.