The pressure is growing on Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of Saturday’s tricky trip to Everton while the previous two Premier League champions face off on Sunday when Manchester City host Liverpool at the Etihad.
Solskjaer’s reign at United has been characterised by extreme highs and lows but a loss at Goodison Park would raise serious questions about the Norwegian’s future.
It was only two weeks ago that United impressively won away at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and followed that up with a 5-0 home crushing of RB Leipzig.
But a lacklustre 0-1 home defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, which left United winless at home in the league this season, was followed by a woeful performance in Wednesday’s 1-2 loss at Istanbul Basaksehir.
After the game in Turkey, Solskjaer laughed off speculation from pundits such as former United skipper Roy Keane that his players might end up costing him his job.
“I decline to comment on such a thing,” Solskjaer said. “Of course, it’s early on and opinions are out there all the time. You’ve got to stay strong. I’m employed by the club to do a job and I do that to the best of my ability with my staff.”
United haven’t beaten Everton in their last three meetings, a run which includes a 0-4 hammering in April 2019, which was reportedly the game that led Solskjaer to decide on the subsequent sale of several members of the squad he inherited from Jose Mourinho.
Everton’s good start to the season has lost its momentum with two straight defeats for Carlo Ancelotti’s side although the Merseysiders have the advantage of not playing in European competition in midweek.
James Rodriguez missed last week’s 1-2 defeat to Newcastle but Don Carlo, as Ancelotti is affectionately called, is hoping he will be fit for the United clash.
Manchester City and Liverpool both go into Sunday’s game after good wins in the Champions League.
EPL fixtures
Saturday
- Everton vs Man United
- Crystal Palace vs Leeds
- Chelsea vs Sheffield United
- West Ham vs Fulham
Sunday
- West Bromwich vs Tottenham
- Leicester vs Wolves
- Man City vs Liverpool
- Arsenal vs Aston Villa
