Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blames crowd discontent for losing back-to-back Premier League games. Recent protest by fans in Manchester against United Club owners contributed to the drop in results, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Monday.
United, who finished second in the Premier League standings and eliminated hosts Fulham on Tuesday, lost to Leicester City and Liverpool last week, after being undefeated in the last 14 league matches.
The match against Liverpool was originally scheduled for 2 May but was postponed after fans barged in the Old Trafford and the owners of the club – stormed the grounds in protest against the Glazer family.
Protests erupted after United’s decision to join the European Super League (ESL). Liverpool beat them 4–2 in a rescheduled game on Thursday, 48 hours after losing to Leicester.
“I didn’t want to use it as an excuse just because we lost two games, but it’s definitely a reason behind the performance and results,” Solskjaer shared his thoughts on fans protest at a news conference.
“Physically, it is impossible for them to show and play at the required intensity and level due to the amount of play. Then you look at intermediate training.”
“We did not have intermediate recovery, our routine was not as normal. We did not do the same tactical training as us.”
Despite tensions on the pitch and the possibility of new opposition on Tuesday, Solskjaer expressed delight that about 10,000 fans would be left at Old Trafford to watch the Fulham game.
“I think the mood in any club and the relationship between a team and the fans are important to what is happening on the pitch,” Solskjaer said. “We are all human beings, we will react in a positive manner to our supporters. They have always been there, giving us extra energy, and hopefully, the players will give fans a reason to cheer and that’s what we have to focus on. It’s a big game for us in that respect.”
