Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists he is right manager for Man Utd
By Tom Gott
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed himself to get the best out his Manchester United squad, insisting he is the right manager to lead the team forwards.
The Norwegian has faced increasing pressure from supporters for his struggles in turning United into an all-dominant side following the expensive arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane this summer, with some suggesting the boss is reliant on moments of individual brilliance from his big names.
Solskjaer's cause wasn't helped by his side's 1-1 draw with Everton, in which he started with Ronaldo, Sancho and Paul Pogba on the bench and watched as United came perilously close to losing the game.
Despite that mounting pressure, Solskjaer reassured fans that he is the right man for the job.
“It’s the same question that was asked after Wednesday night (the 2-1 win over Villarreal)," he said (via The Athletic). "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.”
As of yet, concerns from supporters are not shared by those in charge at Old Trafford. After all, United have lost just once in the Premier League and sit just two points behind top spot, but some doubters have been quick to point out the level of opposition United have come up against.
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 Manchester City, with Chelsea and Arsenal both on the horizon as well.