Big Champions League Display Could Secure Ole As Next Man Utd Manager

When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was given the Manchester United manager’s job on a caretakers basis, I wrote an article explaining what I believed he needed to do to get the gig on a full-time basis.

The blog basically stated that the Norwegian needed to play attacking football, win games, get the most from his talented squad, climb the Premier League table and do well in Europe.

In fairness, Ole has done a sensational job and has already shown us that he can meet these targets. The only question mark remaining is the Champions League.

On Tuesday night, The Red Devils host Ligue 1 champions PSG for the right to secure a place in the quarter-final stage of Europe’s biggest club competition.

We know the French superpower are extremely dangerous and can beat any team on their day. They currently lead their league by thirteen points and have world class stars like Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe in their all-star roster.

But PSG have got questions of their own that they need to answer when this tie gets played out.

Goal.com have reported that Brazilian forward Neymar will miss both legs against Man United due to yet another metatarsal injury.

Les Parisiens also watched on this weekend as goalscoring striker Cavani and right-back Thomas Meunier both hobbled off during the club’s win over Bordeaux. ESPN believe both players will now miss the first leg at Old Trafford.

Due to a breakdown in contact negotiations, Adrien Rabiot can’t be selected by PSG boss Thomas Tuchel.

So the French champs won’t be arriving in England with their best compliment of players.

On the other hand, Solskjaer has no real concerns when it comes to his key personnel.

United should be coming into this tie looking to get another positive result.

Ole has come in and totally turned things around. They’re unbeaten in the eleven games that Solskjaer has been in charge of, winning ten of those fixtures too. That also includes big wins over Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

The new interim gaffer has brought a positivity back to Old Trafford and the players enjoy playing with a new attacking emphasis.

Paul Pogba has been in sensational form and he’s credited the arrival of Solskjaer as being the catalyst for all that’s good at United at the moment (Via BBC Sport):

‘It’s his joy. He’s not playing, he’s not acting. He’s just giving joy to everyone and giving confidence to everyone and you can see on the pitch.’

‘Playing with the lads, playing all together, defending and attacking all together helps every player to be at their best and that’s what we’re doing.’

‘It’s from the good atmosphere of the team.’

The club recently announced that they’d agreed a new contract with talented forward Anthony Martial. Which shows us that the players believe that the future is bright at Old Trafford!

United have moved back into the top four places of the Premier League and they look to be only a player or two short of becoming league contenders. Under former boss Jose Mourinho, it looked as though the squad needed a complete overhaul.

I have no doubts that the Manchester United hierarchy will have been supremely impressed with the job Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s done thus far.

If the Norwegian coach can guide his United side beyond PSG, then I think the Man Utd board will have no choice but to do a deal with Molde and give Ole the job on a permanent basis.

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