In their league fixture Monday night, at home against Arsenal, Manchester United are slight favorites. However, the big picture outlook for the club is rather bleak. How did we get here? Is manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer really that much out of his depth here? Given how the problems go well beyond just him and his roster (specifically ceo Ed Woodard, who is not a football guy, having so much power), is his seat warming?
After barely escaping versus minnows in cup competition the past two weeks, registering only a draw at a dreadful Southampton side and suffering the first ever home Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace already this season, how badly does Solskjaer need a win here?
“The most important thing is that everyone is behind him,” goalkeeper David de Gea said in an interview with DAZN, regarding Solskjaer.
“We are with him. We will fight to the death for him. He is a good coach, and we will be with him until the end.”
“You could see that since the first day he arrived, we won 10 or 12 [eight] straight games,” De Gea said. “He took over at a difficult time. He is part of this [United] family, he’s been here for many years, and he knows the club well and the people who work here.”
That all said, let’s take a look at who the Norwegian may select for his first team in the only all-big six clash of the weekend.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction vs Arsenal FC
Daniel James Jesse Lingard Juan Mata
Paul Pogba Scott McTominay
Ashley Young Victor Lindelof Harry Maguire Aaron Wan-Bissaka
David de Gea
Google’s result probability: 40% United win, 27% draw, 33% Gunners victory
Odds via Betway: United win at 11/8, draw 12/5, Arsenal win 19/10
Team news: Arsenal Manchester United
Arsenal starting XI prediction: go to this link
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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