Solskjaer rectifies ‘counter-attack’ problem and explains Man Utd line-up
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has explained his Manchester United team selection for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Atalanta and declared “we now need to kick on”.
The former Molde coach made three changes for United’s crucial Group F date at Old Trafford. After the defeat to Young Boys, United cannot afford to slip up on home soil and Solskjaer made some bold line-up decisions.
After Saturday’s 4-2 loss at Leicester, Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic made way. Fred and Scott McTominay were the two in United’s engine room.
While Marcus Rashford made his first United start since May’s Europa League final in place of Jadon Sancho.
And speaking to BT Sport ahead of the game, Solskjaer explained his thinking: “The last few games we’ve looked a little bit open. We’ve been too easy to play through on counter-attacks. Today we’ve picked a team that will give us legs and energy. Our fans will also want to see us on the front foot.
“It’ll be nice for [Marcus Rashford] to play football freely without a niggle on his back or shoulders. The last few months he’s been carrying an injury. You’ll see a smile now, and Marcus enjoying football is a brilliant sight to see.
“The last two or three seasons Atalanta have been scoring close to 100 goals in the Serie A, so we will have to defend really well. Plus we want to to hopefully be on the attack.”
Solskjaer had taken the opportunity on Tuesday to set the record straight over Rashford.
Solskjaer said Rashford needed to “prioritise his football” but the boss cleared up any confusion and maintained that was not the focus of his comments.
“Just to get the elephant out of the room straightaway with, you know, the headlines that came after the chat I had before the Leicester game,” Solskjaer said.
“Of course we’re so unbelievably proud by what Marcus has done on and off the pitch.
“And you know what I said and you made a headline out of one little comment that I never intended to be the focus of what I was saying.
Solskjaer given little chance of seeing out the season at Manchester United
‘We need to kick on again’
“I was saying about Marcus and now it must be nice for the boy to focus on going into training, not feeling his ankle or his shoulder or his back.
“Now he can just go and enjoy his football and I think you all know that.”
A run of one win in five games has deflated any early season optimism. And the United boss admitted now is the time to arrest their poor run of form.
“After making some great progress over the last two-and-a-half seasons, we’re now at a point in our collective development where we need to kick on again,” Solskjaer wrote in his programme notes.
“Despite the last couple of games, we know the ability we have in this squad; now we need to strike the right balance and make it work, like we know we can.”
Man Utd XI: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire (c), Shaw; Fred, McTominay; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Ronaldo.
READ MORE: Two regulars for sale as ruthless Murtough green lights five-player Man Utd clear-out
The post Solskjaer rectifies ‘counter-attack’ problem and explains Man Utd line-up appeared first on TEAMtalk.