What Have Man United Done in 2019?
Manchester United have had a topsy-turvy 2019 so far. In fact, it started pretty well for almost three months, when the Devils were still playing under their caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Then, with his official appointment, attitudes changed and the results started spiraling. Champions League heroics against Paris Saint-Germain were an odd 180 minutes of football in which United managed to progress, before getting easily dismantled by Barcelona.
In the league, since the turn of the year, Man United are actually as bad as someone would expect, at least when we are talking about the last season only. They have won 31 points in those last 18 matches of the last campaign, which puts them fourth in the league in that timeframe. That adds up to 39 points after 24 matches if we put in the current season as well.
That is not great – just 1.63 points per match, which over a whole season would give you around 62 points, four points less than Man United’s 2018-19 tally.
How Are Devils Doing Since Solskjaer Appointment?
Things are even worse if we look only the timeframe during which Solskjaer was officially the manager. He led the Devils in 14 league matches so far, with just four wins. He won 22 points, an awfully low average of 1.57 points per match and if we factor in all competitions, things are not much better.
He was Man United’s manager in 18 matches, but only three times did United score more than once – against Watford, West Ham and Chelsea, all at home. The performances are even worse than the numbers, especially when you factor in the Rochdale draw at Old Trafford last night.
The numbers are a grim reading so far and there is nothing to suggest that things will get drastically better any time soon.
Moussa Dembele Links Return
The rumours about Moussa Dembele are back and why would not they be? Manchester United are in a bad need to get a striker and Daily Mail are reporting the Lyon forward could be the man the club will try to sign this January.
Dembele is in top form so far this season, scoring six goals in six Ligue 1 appearances for Lyon. The Frenchman has been linked with United last summer and the Devils have sent scouts to watch the player in action.
All of this makes sense, simply from United’s tilted perspective of not having a proper goalscorer in the team. Dembele has some flaws in his game, but Martial and Rashford could do with sharing the responsibilities with someone else.
Martial To Be Ready For Arsenal
At least some good news for United fans. Anthony Martial is set to return in time for Man United’s clash with Arsenal, various reports are claiming. The 23-year-old Frenchman has been out of action with a thigh injury since the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at the end of August. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has put his faith in Marcus Rashford as United’s central striker but the forward has done little to show that this is where he could offer his best performances, scoring just three goals this season, two of them from the penalty spot.
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