The United’s back pain was envisaged to be found wanting in the 2019/2020 season after the signature of Harry Maguire in the summer. It will be recalled that United conceded an unprecedented number of goals in the club’s history last season (54 goals precisely)
Unfortunately for Manchester United, after investing massively on the backline, the defensive problems are still much unbearable. Having played 21 games this season, The Red Devil’s have conceded 25 whooping goals while they’ve managed to score just 32 goals. Little wonder they’ve been struggling as per their goal difference.
Harry Maguire despite being a regular starter in the United’s line up has so far failed in solving the apparent defensive problem even with his regular partner Victor Lindelof. The duo has played a part in almost every of United’s game in the EPL this season but unfortunately, United’s defensive crisis still lingers.
Unlike the case of Virgil Van Dijk at Liverpool, Harry Maguire has been performing below par since his arrival at Old Trafford and a call for him to be changed in the team’s line up has been made.
Aaron Wan Bissaka is another United’s recruitment at the back in the summer. The English young chap looks as though he’s settled down at the red part of Manchester pretty well. But collectively, United’s defensive performance has been shambolic, erratic and dismal so far this season.
Between Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones last season, United shipped in a whole number of goals which as a result made Ole Gunnar Solksjaer decide he’d opt for an upgrade in his backline after getting the Man Utd’s job on a permanent basis.
Ironically, Chris Smalling (one of Ole’s rejects) has delivered awesomely for AS Roma to some extent; so more so that the England international has been rated 7.48 in the Serie A this season after having just 12 appearances while accumulating the rating of 6.88 in the Europa League. (Whoscored)
For Leicester on the other hand, the formidable partnership of Çağlar Söyüncü and Johnny Evans has so far helped Leicester in pushing Liverpool for the EPL title. The duo has so far conceded just 19 goals this season, just 5 goals more than Liverpool (14).
These two scenarios have made it obvious that Ole Gunnar Solksjaer is bereft of Man management, the utmost experience of the English League and the mature sense of reading games. With Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and the rejected Eric Baily as United’s center-backs, the team becomes hapless and hence the tendency to concede at every matchday.
On the path of Ole, it’s absolute shallow mindedness to have allowed Smalling to leave the team while retaining an error-prone Phil Jones. His childish decision has cost united more than his gains. Lukaku, Chris Smalling and Alexis Sanchez (before his injury) have been scintillating for both Inter Milan and Roma this season while Ole’s babies have failed to deliver. There’s no need for more patience with Ole as the manager, his sack is imminent.
