How Ighalo, Fernandes saved Solskjaer’s job at Man Utd – Pundit
Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, nearly lost his job earlier this season, thanks to the last-minute turn-around January transfer of Nigeria’s loanee, Odion Ighalo, and £46.6million hiring of Bruno Fernandes, according to ESPN pundit, Mark Ogden.
From the start of January, however, Solskjaer was struggling – with his team losing four out of seven games across all competitions.
Things began to turn at the end of the month, though, with United crushing Tranmere 6-0 in the FA Cup.
Following on from that impressive win, the Red Devils have gone on an unbeaten run, with Fernandes also emerging as one of the best players in the league.
And Ogden claims that the result in the cup and the addition of playmaker Fernandes were key to Solskjaer staying in charge.
However, Ogden still thinks the United chief has a long way to go before things are all fine at Old Trafford again.
“It is too early to start to say Solskjaer has turned things around.I remember at the end of January they lost 2-0 to Burnley and that was straight after the game against Liverpool where they lost in abject fashion.
“Fans were starting to turn against the Glazers, the owners, and it was quite a moody time.
“They went to Tranmere in the cup, if they’d have lost that it could have been curtains for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“They won 6-0, Bruno Fernandes came in and they haven’t lost with him in the team.
“Bruno Fernandes has coincided with the upturn, but it’s only seven or eight games.
read also:Man Utd board: In Ole Gunnar Solskjaer we trust
“There’s a few ups and downs, and it depends on how you look at it.
“It’s too early to say Solskjaer has turned a corner, he needs a lot longer than seven or eight games to prove that.”
Bruno Fernandes to United was seemingly the transfer saga that would never end, but the Old Trafford club eventually landed their man from Sporting Lisbon after negotiating the price down to an initial £47million fee.
Odion Ighalo was a loan deal much criticised by many, but both the on-loan Shanghai Shenhua man and Fernandes have started as a dream under Solskjaer.
Between them, they’ve scored seven goals already, with Fernandes winning February’s PFA Premier League player of the month and Ighalo nominated for Uefa’s Europa League player of the week.