Mourinho critical about Solskjaer’s tactics against Barcelona

Former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has said that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got the tactics wrong during the Red Devils’ recent European trip to Barcelona. The Red Devils suffered a slender 1-0 defeat to Barcelona during the home leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie, and they could not overcome the deficit at the Camp Nou, where they were thoroughly dominated.

Speaking on RT Sport, Mourinho said that Messi was allowed too much space during the course of the double-legged quarter-final. He added that the Argentine was carefully guarded with a zonal marking system at Old Trafford, but that was not the case on the road, where Messi got the better of the United defence from a deeper position.
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TalkSPORT pundit says Manchester United made a crazy decision to appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Talk SPORT pundit Craig Burley believes Manchester United made a crazy decision to appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the permanent manager before the end of the campaign. The Norwegian was initially appointed by the club on an interim basis in mid-December, and the club’s transformation over the course of the next three months convinced the board to appoint him as the permanent head coach.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, former Chelsea star Burley does not feel United made the right choice to recruit Ole, given they require an experienced manager at the helm to rebuild during the summer. He added that the club were perhaps indulged into a sentimental claptrap with regards to Ole with the majority of the supporters wanting him as the permanent boss.
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Duncan Castles backs Paul Pogba to extend his Manchester United contract

Daily Record journalist Duncan Castles has backed Paul Pogba to stay put with Manchester United beyond the summer transfer window. The France international has been in a purple patch for United during the backend of the ongoing campaign and this has spread speculation that Real Madrid could make an approach for his signature.

Speaking to the Transfer Window Podcast, Castles has indicated that Pogba’s move to the Bernabeu seems unlikely during the summer, given the cost that could be involved. He added that United would likewise hold no ambition of offloading their prized asset and the best solution would be for the midfielder to sign a new and improved contract with the club.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirms injury concerns for Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that both Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard could possibly spend time on the sidelines based on the medical assessment later in the week. Lingard was substituted with a hamstring issue against Paris Saint-Germain right before the break while Martial did not report following the interval with a groin problem of his own.

Speaking after the game, Ole confirmed the respective injuries for Martial and Lingard while confirming that their absence may be determined by an examination made in a couple of days. Meanwhile, the Norwegian was far from pleased with the performance of Sanchez, who has once more ineffective after replacing Lingard before the half-time whistle.
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Carrick: Manchester United players are bouncing

Manchester United assistant Michael Carrick has said that the Red Devils players are bouncing around the place after their recent change in fortunes under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The club had endured a difficult time under ex-coach Jose Mourinho where they struggled to secure regular wins but that trend has changed with Ole at the helm.

Since the Norwegian’s arrival, United have won five successive games across all competitions and Carrick has now revealed that the players are much happier while taking part in training, he told MUTV: “As you can imagine, it’s quite a happy camp.” Read more

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer speaks on Antonio Valencia’s situation at Manchester United

Manchester United’s interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has indicated that Antonio Valencia could be sidelined for another couple of weeks after sustaining a niggle. The club captain had been working hard to make a comeback with the Red Devils but he unfortunately suffered a fresh injury setback in the lead up to the Fulham game.

Speaking to MUTV, Ole confirmed that the right-sided defender has been left broken after his return to first-team action was delayed with the injury, he said: “Antonio has been training hard, really hard, and then he got a setback. So, hopefully, in a couple of weeks, he’ll be back with us. He’s been a fantastic servant at the club, he’s captain for a reason and, hopefully, we can get him back on the pitch. It was hard when he broke down, because he would have travelled this weekend.”
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer not daunted by the top-four challenge

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that he will take one game at a time as the Red Devils seek to close the gap on the top four during the backend of the campaign. The Mancunian giants recently hired Solskjaer as their interim boss following the sacking of Jose Mourinho and the 45-year-old has managed to deliver on his managerial debut after the Red Devils secured a comfortable 5-1 triumph on the road to Cardiff City.

Speaking after the game, Solskjaer highlighted that the team can’t look much forward with the festive schedule underway and he remains optimistic of recovering the eight-point deficit to the final Champions League position occupied by Chelsea, he said: “If we approach all the games like this – and we want them to approach them all like this – with combination play and playing the ball forward then I’ll be happy. We take one game at a time now. We’ve caught up eight or nine points before but we’ve got to go one step at a time. I was proud and humble at the reception from the fans, it has been an emotional all week. But it’s a start and we move on.”
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Wayne Rooney urges main players at Manchester United to step up

Wayne Rooney believes the main players should lead by example for Manchester United in order to avoid further disappointment during the ongoing season. The Red Devils have made a rather average start to the season with just six wins from their opening 12 matches and the run already sees them seven points behind the final Champions League position.

Speaking to MUTV, Rooney highlighted that Jose Mourinho will continue doing his job off the playing field but the onus is on the playing to show a strong character when they are in the game, he said: “Jose can do what I know he’ll be doing – he’ll be working with the team and setting them up. But I think a lot of the responsibility has to go on the players’ shoulders. They go on the pitch, they have to take that responsibility and they have to thrive on it.
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Manchester United boss considering sale of defensive duo

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly considering the sale of defensive duo Marcos Rojo and Eric Bailly in the New Year as he aims to bring in fresh faces at the heart of the backline. The Red Devils have experienced an average start to the Premier League season with just 20 points after the opening 12 matches and this has partly come about from the struggles at the back.

According to The Sun, the Portuguese tactician is likely to push through the departures of Rojo and Bailly during the winter transfer window with the focus on signing at least one central defender during that period. It is added that Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng and Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar are among the prime targets who could be under consideration at the turn of the year.
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Backing free football tips online

Options for betting on football are more open-ended than ever before, and this doesn’t just include the chance to back bets, with the internet also working as a hub for free football tips.

It used to be the case that you’d need to get your football betting tips from friends and back the same bets at the local bookies, but you aren’t met with this problem anymore, as both outlets are available online. Read more