Mail Online

De Gea: We just play like kids

now questioning Solskjaer’s tactics and leadership, amid concerns that he lacks the experience to get out of trouble and is too soft on them.

It is not the first time the 48-year-old has faced an uncertain future since he returned to the club in 2018. Whereas United have previously offered Solskjaer unequivocal backing, however, the message last night was less emphatic.

Sources stressed the need to pull together and move on from Sunday’s loss, adding that there is nothing to indicate Solskjaer won’t still be in charge when United visit Tottenham on Saturday.

Conte has expressed an interest in the job, having been out of work since leaving Inter Milan in May, although his camp maintain that they will not open talks with United until Solskjaer’s situation has been resolved.

Appointing the 52-year-old would represent a major U-turn for United after bringing Solskjaer back to Old Trafford to replace Jose Mourinho and oversee a cultural shift in keeping with the club’s traditions. Like Mourinho, Conte tends to work in short cycles and would want his own staff.

In the aftermath of the Liverpool loss, sources claim Solskjaer was as stunned as anyone in the dressing room. As revealed by MailOnline, Solskjaer is understood to have called on his players to fight their way back from one of the darkest days the club has suffered.

‘It was made clear to the players that they all, including the manager, will get battered,’ said the source. ‘But the message was that the team either fight each other or fight back together.’

A number of players believe they were not prepared to play the desired pressing game against Liverpool because they had not focused on the tactic in training.

David de Gea gave a brutal assessment of the defeat, saying: ‘It hurts. It is not good enough. We keep on conceding s**t goals. We play like kids and I have to apologise to the fans.’

UNITED IN CRISIS

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2021-10-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/283253101116016

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