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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's latest gripe is Premier League scheduling

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken issue with the scheduling of his side's ...
Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

15.43 1 Oct 2021


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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's latest...

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's latest gripe is Premier League scheduling

Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

15.43 1 Oct 2021


Share this article


Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken issue with the scheduling of his side's Premier League games. 

United welcome Everton to Old Trafford at 12.30pm on Saturday, having played Villareal at the same venue on Wednesday night.

Despite the lack of travel involved, Solskjaer has cried foul over the schedule laid out in front of him.

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The Norwegian is blaming television rights holders for the perceived issue.

"The boost and energy you get in the group after a win like this [Villareal] has to be built on," Solskjaer told Friday's press conference.

"It's a very, very quick turnaround, a different turnaround to last year when we played Everton away and played Wednesday night and Saturday morning.

"But the players aren't going to get caught out, we've got to start as we finished on Wednesday night.

"Yeah, absolutely no explanation, well, it's TV. Absolutely no common sense at all.

"We had the same scenario last year when we were in Turkey, came back and played Everton. The players aren't gonna get that joy again, they had it last year as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFAVS6w22gM&ab_channel=ManchesterUnited

"But we have to make it happen, because it's not like we did it last year so it's going to have to happen again, the crowd is going to have to help, that's important and I know they will.

"Us and Chelsea played Wednesday night. We could easily have played Sunday and Liverpool-City should have been a Saturday one.

"Common sense might not be so common. But that's for another day."

Indeed, after both played their respective Champions League games away from home on Tuesday night, Liverpool meet City at Anfield on Sunday in a game you can hear live on Off The Ball.

Last week, Solskjaer implied that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was the reason United had - until then - not been awarded a penalty this season. 24 hours later, Bruno Fernandes sent a stoppage time spot kick into the Stretford End en route to a 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa.

Solskjaer also addressed Donny van de Beek's visible frustration at being left on the bench during the 2-1 victory at home to Villareal.

As the clock ran down, Jesse Lingard and Fred were sent on by the manager. Behind them, Van de Beek could be seen throwing down chewing gum in frustration.

"I manage a squad of international footballers," said Solskjaer, "Donny was ready to come on, as all the players should be."

"I must have the record appearances as a sub. I've not been happy a few times. Alex [Telles] was coming off as a left-back and Fred did that job well.

"I understand his [Van de Beek's] frustration. That's got to be built into determination.

"That's not just Donny but all the players. We need to have positive energy. Donny has never affected his team-mates negatively, I want that out there."

Van de Beek's lack of recent game time has seen him omitted from the Netherlands squad for this month's games with Latvia and Gibraltar.

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