Sources: Solskjaer lost United’s confidence

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is fighting to keep his job as Manchester United manager, and sources told ESPN that a considerable number of people within the team have lost faith in the 48-year-old former player, even before Sunday’s 5-0 loss to Liverpool.

Has also been told ESPN that the United board is aware that the former coach of Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan, Antonio Conte, is ready to return to the bench at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer, initially appointed as interim technician following the firing of Jose Mourinho In December 2018, they have lost five of their last nine games, and sources said their support in the locker room is largely limited to the core of United’s British players and a small group of foreign players.

Although he has been told ESPN While the atmosphere at the club is nowhere near being “as toxic as it was under Mourinho”, the loss to Liverpool has cast an air of resignation at Old Trafford over Solskjaer’s future as manager.

Has been told ESPN that Solskjaer’s inability to solve the team’s defensive problems, his apparent ‘favoritism’ for underperforming players and his reluctance to give opportunities to Jesse Lingard, Donny van de Beek and Nemanja Matic has led some players to openly criticize the coach.

Sources also said veteran players have been exasperated that Solskjaer has not imposed his authority on United forwards who are not doing their job.

One source cited a lack of understanding between Cristiano Ronaldo and Mason Greenwood because of Solskjaer and his inability to force the couple to bond more convincingly. Teammates have noted that the pair rarely cross over in attacking positions and that Ronaldo is visibly irritated by his young partner’s decision to shoot rather than pass the ball to him in goal positions.

Although sources said that Solskjaer is not an unpopular figure within the squad (unlike Mourinho and his predecessor, Louis van Gaal), there is a belief that the manager lacks the experience, mentality and credentials of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp. and Thomas Tuchel. .

Sources said more experienced players want more tactical direction from Solskjaer and his coaches, but that area is lacking.

Conte, who resigned as Inter’s manager after guiding the club to the Serie A title last season, has a history of imposing tactical strategies on his teams, and his national titles with Juventus, Chelsea and Inter support his credentials as a manager. successful.

Sources told ESPN that there has been a reluctance within United to turn to Conte, who is seen within the game as an abrasive and demanding character, but there is also an understanding at Old Trafford that he is the best available option in case. that they have to find a replacement for Solskjaer.

Mauricio Pochettino has been a long-term target for United, but the former Tottenham manager is now in charge at Paris Saint-Germain and despite an unconvincing start to the season, he is not expected to be available anytime soon.