REVEALED: Manchester United players and staff are surprised at being given a week off by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in wake of derby defeat after under-fire boss flew back to Norway
Manchester United players and staff were surprised to be given a week off after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer flew back to Norway with his family on Monday.
With a large portion of United’s squad on international duty, the under-pressure manager decided to give the rest of the players and his backroom team a break rather than having them in for training at Carrington.
The move was said to be unexpected considering the crisis at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer headed back to Norway with his family on Monday afternoon as the pressure continues to build on the much-maligned Manchester United manager
Solskjaer’s decision to give everyone a week off has left United players and staff baffled
Manchester United have lost 5-0 at home to Liverpool and 2-0 to Man City in recent weeks
It was another afternoon to forget for United at Old Trafford – which is no longer a fortress
Raphael Varane arrived at United’s headquarters on Monday for treatment on his hamstring injury and Marcus Rashford is due in to train after pulling out of England’s squad, but Solskjaer and his players have not been seen since Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City.
The Norwegian was pictured at Manchester airport with his wife Silje and their sons Noah and Elijah before travelling by private jet to his hometown of Kristiansund.
Solskjaer has faced criticism for losing six of the last 12 games and over the manner of the humiliating home defeats by City and Liverpool.
United had planned to keep Solskjaer until the end of the season but big defeats by Liverpool and Man City have caused a potential rethink
Against City in the derby Solskjaer was comprehensively outsmarted by Pep Guardiola
But club sources indicated again on Monday night that the 48-year-old’s job is not under immediate threat and he is expected to remain in charge for the visit to Watford a week on Saturday.
Rashford formally withdrew from international duty because he has yet to complete 90 minutes since returning from shoulder surgery last month and then picked up a flu bug last week.
United are also waiting for a medical update on Paul Pogba after he limped out of a training session with France last night due to a thigh injury.
Raphael Varane arrived at United’s HQ on Monday for treatment on his hamstring injury
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