Man Utd boss Solskjaer proved his tactical class again vs Liverpool after being forced into injury reshuffle
The Old Trafford boss made his name as a super-sub - but getting it right as a manager when FOUR players get injured in the first half was a different type of test as a manager
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER made his name as a super-sub - and knows all about glory coming off the bench.
Getting it right as a manager when FOUR players get injured in the first half against Manchester United’s biggest rivals was a different type of test as a manager.
But that was what Solskjaer was celebrating after battling to a point. United could have nicked it too after their reshuffle.
While coming off the bench at the Nou Camp was about Champions League glory, this clash against Liverpool was a lesson in how to stay in the game.
Solskjaer’s success as caretaker has been down to turning around the dressing room and getting morale lifted.
But he has tactical nous too, as he showed in the win over Tottenham at Wembley that announced him as more than a manager merely keeping the seat warm.
He needed to juggle his resources mid-match as players kept getting injured.
Solskjaer was nicknamed the “baby-faced assassin” as a player and as a manager he is ruthless.
There was no place in the starting line-up for £52million summer signing Fred. Instead, he went for Scott McTominay, who he could rely on to protect the back four.
The Scot may not show too much ambition going forward but never gets caught out of position - which was ideal facing Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
Ander Herrera was the first crock and the easy option was to call for Fred - but he went for Andreas Pereira instead.
Next to head down the tunnel and to the treatment table was Juan Mata - and Alexis Sanchez seemed the obvious choice.
Jesse Lingard came on and had United’s best chance of the first half, getting denied superbly by Alisson Becker when he raced onto Romelu Lukaku’s throughball.
It was the England midfielder’s last action as he got injured too, with Sanchez finally coming on.
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With Marcus Rashford also struggling, Solskjaer shuffled it again and put his young forward in a central role, with Lukaku out wide.
United’s caretaker boss cannot be accused of being stubborn or rigid.