The second season of the Premier League got underway last weekend, and Man united with Ole Gunnar Solskjær at the helm will have their first kick-off this week on Saturday the 19th. Many fans will be glued to the TV, following their favorite team.
One thing that can be counted on is that United will be trying to better their third-place finish from last season. Trying to leapfrog current champions Liverpool will be a tough task, however, seeing as the Anfield side finished 33 points clear of United.
Make sure not to miss out on any matches by checking the Premier League schedule on TVkampen.com, where you can easily view all of the action showing on both TV and live stream.
One thing that can be counted on is that United will be trying to better their third-place finish from last season. Trying to leapfrog current champions Liverpool will be a tough task, however,seeing as the Anfield side finished 33 points clear of United.
Make sure not to miss out on any matches by checking the Premier League schedule on TVkampen.com, where you can easily view all of the action showing on both TV and live stream.
A Look Back at Solskjær’s First Season
Let’s look back to more than a year ago, on August 11, 2019, when Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjær stood in the dugout for the first time as manager of his old club. His first test was predicted to be a tough one against London rivals Chelsea. At the end of the match, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford proved that predictions aren’t everything, as the Red Devils beat the boys in blue by a score of 4-0.
The first season was very unusual for United and its Norwegian manager. Once showtime was over after a successful debut, Solskjær’s side lost several matches against clubs that were on paper, weaker sides. And suddenly, the manager’s job was on the hot seat.
Two Matches Were Must-Wins (According to The Sun)
On New Year’s Eve, 2019, British newspaper The Sun published a story claiming Solskjær informed his players they had to avoid defeat in the upcoming matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City if he was to keep his job. The manager denied the story. The players also had to overcome adversity of their own, and that they did, with United defeating both José Mourinho’s Spurs and Pep Guardiola’s City 2-1.
Thanks to those two victories, Solskjær’s side awarded their manager with more time at the helm, even though they suffered a 0-2 defeat in late December when David de Gea gifted bottom side Watford a win. After being handed three further Premier League defeats in January, and a League Cup loss against fierce rivals Manchester City, questions started to be asked over where the manager was capable of taking United any further.
Fernandes to the Rescue
In January, 2020, United brought in Bruno Fernandes from Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon. It turned out to be a valuable signing and then some, as United didn’t concede a single match for the remainder of the season.
The midfielder was just a sensation in the Premier League, and with a new player and a new dimension to the team, the reds were able to overcome their Manchester rivals City on March 8. It was United’s last league match before the football season was halted amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Once the Premier League made its return in June, things looked to be going plain sailing for Solskjær’s side. United enjoyed a series of big wins, and they remained in the top four behind Chelsea and Leicester.
Amid a crowded schedule, United looked listless during the latter stages of the season. Even after a number of tired performances, however, they still had a chance to secure Champions League football by drawing against Leicester.
Forever Third
The 2019/20 Premier League season ended on July 26, the latest ending of any season in the history of the league. On that same date, United secured third place in the standings after a 2-0 defeat of Leicester. Just like they did in the league cup, however, United exited the FA Cup at the semifinal stage. In their fourth meeting against Chelsea under Soskjaer’s reign, United suffered their first defeat.
After a quarterfinal victory against Ståle Solbakken’s Copenhagen, it made another exit at the semifinal stage after a loss against Spanish side Sevilla. No team had previously been knocked out of the FA Cup, League Cup, and European Cup all at the semifinal stage in one season.
United ended 2019/20 without a trophy to show for their efforts, but with a strong run without a defeat, and a place secured in next season’s Champions League, Solskjær looks to have bought himself some extra time at his old club. With recent good news for Ole’s son Noah, next year may yet turn out to be a good one for the Solskjær family all-round.
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