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Man United: Don’t let the PSG defeat let take credit away from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

By Kaustubh Pandey

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 12: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford on February 12, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 12: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford on February 12, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 12: Jesse Lingard of Manchester United reacts to an injury before he is substituted during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford on February 12, 2019, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 12: Jesse Lingard of Manchester United reacts to an injury before he is substituted during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford on February 12, 2019, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

One can only imagine what would’ve happened if United had Lingard and Martial in the second half, but it is what it is.

It was rightly a ‘step too far’, as the Norwegian boss said and Owen Hargreaves analysed in the BTSport studios. For a side that still isn’t complete by any means and without a proper experienced leader, who has won the competition at some point in his career, this maybe was coming. It was a reality check too.

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However, that shouldn’t take anything away from a side that has been playing at its best over the last 2 months. Beating Arsenal and Tottenham away, aren’t small achievements by any means and United have done that under Solskjaer. They have climbed to fourth from sixth and have done that by playing very good football. This is football, you win some and you lose some. No one can achieve the Golden Mean.

They reacted very well to going 2-0 down to Burnley and there lies the mental stiffness,  but the PSG loss showed that while United are very good, they aren’t as good as a European giant that has played consistently in the competition over the last 4 or 5 seasons. The first half performance gave them a foundation that they can use to build on in Europe.

It is easy for an average football fan to spread the wings of hypocrisy by now quickly saying that Solskjaer should not be the next permanent boss. Though the truth is – it is still too early. Arsenal was on a 22 game long unbeaten run and still sit in fifth place and a point behind United. This despite all the progress they’ve made.

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Also, the tactical shifts that Solskjaer made in the games against the Gunners and Spurs, Unai Emery has done quite the same – often playing a diamond 4-4-2 formation in bigger games. The Chelsea game presents a bigger challenge.

A challenge which will say more about the PSG defeat because it will capture the side’s reaction to defeat.

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