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On Saturday afternoon, Manchester United were subjected to their fifth defeat in their last seven Premier League outings. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was already walking on thin ice after defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City before the international break. The 4-1 defeat to Watford in the Premier League was the final straw.
A few hours later, Manchester United relieved Solskjaer of his responsibilities as the manager of his former club, thanking him for his contributions. Assistant manager Michael Carrick has stepped in as Solskjaer’s immediate successor. But an interim manager looks set to be appointed sooner rather than later.
It is true that Solskjaer could not make the most of Manchester United’s resources. However, that should not sway us from the fact that it was the players who failed to deliver.
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The chances they missed and the lapses in concentration that led to goals were not of Solskjaer’s doing. Those were purely down to Manchester United’s out-of-form stars.
Here are the five most out-of-form Manchester United players right now:
#5 Fred
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used to prefer the double-pivot of Fred and Scott McTominay at the base of his midfield. He loved Fred’s work rate and enjoyed his industrious nature. However, when push came to shove, Fred hardly ever managed to step up for the Old Trafford outfit.
For all his industry, Fred has often been surprisingly easy to get past. He also fails to get his tackles on target, which tends to expose United’s shaky defense. Fred does press more aggressively than his midfield partners, but pressing alone cannot make up for all his lapses in the middle of the park.
Incidentally, Fred has proved to be decisive for his country in a more advanced role. However, given the talent United have in that area, we are not hopeful of seeing him in a free role at Old Trafford.
#4 Harry Maguire
England international Harry Maguire proudly wears the captain’s armband for Manchester United. However, in recent outings, his performances have been far from exemplary.
Maguire, on his day, is one of the best defenders in the Premier League. Unfortunately, those have been few and far between this campaign. He is easy to get past, does not command the box with the needed authority, and often takes too long to clear his lines.
Maguire, who saw a red card in the 4-1 defeat to Watford, will have to buckle up in the coming weeks. But he risks slipping down the pecking order and surrendering the armband he wholeheartedly cherishes.
#3 Jadon Sancho
Manchester United spent €85m in the summer of 2021 to sign the winger from Borussia Dortmund. The Englishman was expected to become an undisputed starter for the Old Trafford outfit.
Unfortunately, the 21-year-old has been restricted to sporadic appearances, failing to even come close to his sky-high valuation.
Rated as one of the most talented youngsters around, Sancho was a phenomenon at Borussia Dortmund. He was lightning-quick, could score with either foot, and had an eye for spotting his teammates in the final third.
At Manchester United, he looks like an underconfident player, unsure of what he should be doing.
Sancho, who directly contributed to 114 goals in 137 appearances for Dortmund, is yet to open his account for Manchester United. So far, he has had 14 opportunities to make himself count but has come up short in all of them.
#2 Paul Pogba
Manchester United have some truly capable individuals at their disposal but none as enigmatic as 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba. The Frenchman moved back to Manchester United from Juventus in 2015 and has been involved in numerous controversies over the last six years.
From falling out with a manager to dropping one producing world-class performances on demand, Pogba's second spell at United has certainly been eventful.
The central midfielder was at his imperious best at the start of the season. He provided seven assists in his first four Premier League games, with four of them coming in the 5-1 win over Leeds United.
In the next five fixtures, he failed to register even a single goal or assist and was sent off in the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Pogba is currently battling a hamstring injury and might not return to the fold until January 2022. With his contract expiring in six months, we may not see Pogba at his best again in Manchester United’s famous red jersey.
#1 Bruno Fernandes
Last season Bruno Fernandes was Manchester United’s knight in shining armor. The midfielder was in scintillating form and ended up scoring 28 goals and providing 17 assists for United across all competitions.
The Portuguese started the 2021-22 campaign in a similar fashion, but his efforts stopped paying dividends as the gameweeks passed.
Fernandes has combined well with his countryman Cristiano Ronaldo and regularly feeds him with key passes. However, Ronaldo’s all-engulfing presence has turned Fernandes a little goal-shy, encouraging the 28-year-old to focus more on his creative side.
Although the midfielder has only scored four goals for Manchester United this season, his assist count is already up to eight.
For United’s sake, Fernandes has to find the perfect blend of goals and assists. Only then can he start being as influential as he was last season.
