LONDON, Aug 4, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Manchester United have missed out on the
top four in four of the six seasons since Alex Ferguson stepped down and fans
are coming to terms with their current status as Premier League also-rans.
Here, AFP Sport looks at whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can make United
contenders again for the first time since their last Premier League title in
2012-13 or whether they are facing another season of turmoil and pain.
What to expect:
It is difficult to know what to expect from Solskjaer’s United, who
enjoyed a purple patch after the Norwegian replaced Jose Mourinho but slumped
alarmingly towards the end of last season.
At one stage they looked likely to finish in the top four but there was
the suspicion they were getting the rub of the green and so it proved.
Their campaign ended with a whimper as they drew 1-1 at relegated
Huddersfield and then were beaten 2-0 at home on the final day by Cardiff,
who were also heading out of the Premier League.
A gap of 32 points to champions Manchester City was embarrassing and many
questioned whether the club had been too hasty in appointing the relatively
inexperienced Solskjaer to the full-time manager’s post.
United will not have Champions League football to paper over the cracks
during the coming season, with Thursday nights in the Europa League ringed in
the calendar instead.
The club have had a positive pre-season but there are still lingering
issues that need to be addressed — Paul Pogba’s future is still in doubt and
Solskjaer has to wrestle with the conundrum of an under-performing Alexis
Sanchez.
United had problems at both ends of the pitch last season — scoring 30
goals fewer than City in the Premier League and conceding 54 goals, the most
they had conceded in a league season since 1978-79.
The 20-time champions desperately need a positive start to rebuild
confidence that they can challenge at the sharp end of the Premier League.
Anything less and the knives could be out for Solskjaer.
New faces:
After a leaky defence played a key role in United’s struggles last season,
Solskjaer made it clear he wanted Leicester’s Harry Maguire to plug the
holes.
The England centre-back is reportedly on the verge of becoming the world’s
most expensive defender, with United said to have agreed an o80 million fee
to land Maguire.
But have they signed enough faces to boost a squad that looked short of
class compared with Manchester City and Liverpool last season?
Highly rated right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has joined from Crystal Palace,
with Solskjaer describing the 21-year-old as “one of the best upcoming
defenders in the Premier League”.
Winger Daniel James was bought from Championship club Swansea to add
thrust on the flanks.
United have also been linked with a swoop for Juventus forward Paulo
Dybala, but the Argentine is said to be unsure about joining a team outside
the Champions League.
Romelu Lukaku could be on the way out of Old Trafford, with Juventus and
Inter Milan both keen on the Belgium striker according to reports.
Key man:
This is the season when Marcus Rashford will have to step up and show
emphatically that he deserves to wear the number 10 shirt at Manchester
United.
Still only 21, Rashford scored 17 goals in 54 appearances last season for
club and country but will have to boost those numbers if he is to be the
undisputed leader of United’s attack.
Rashford signed a new four-year deal to remain at Old Trafford last month,
saying it was “a privilege” every time he wore the shirt.
He has scored some sublime goals for the club but with a shortage of goal
threat from elsewhere, Solskjaer will want to see him take his tally to 20-
plus goals this season and become more of a poacher.