Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted he is “embarrassed” by Manchester United’s current run but refused to be drawn on his future as the pressure mounted following a 4-1 hammering at Watford.
United travelled to Vicarage Road having lost four of their last six Premier League games before the international break and this heavy defeat only piled more misery on the beleaguered Norwegian.
Josh King and Ismaila Sarr put Watford 2-0 up at the break before substitute Donny van de Beek pulled one back. But United’s under-fire captain Harry Maguire was sent off after 69 minutes and late goals from Joao Pedro and Emmanuel Dennis punished the Red Devils.
Defeat at Vicarage Road.#MUFC | #WATMUN— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 20, 2021
Solskjaer, who revealed he went over to apologise to the travelling fans after the game, told Sky Sports: “I feel for the fans and I feel the same as them – we’re embarrassed by losing the way we do.
“We know we are in a very bad run and a bad situation, but that’s football and I know they’ll support whoever is on the pitch every day, and sometimes you’ve got to say sorry.”
Solskjaer shrugged off the inevitable speculation about his future, adding: “I’m working for and with the club and I’ve done that for 18 years.
“We’ve got a good communication and if the club were thinking about doing something then that is between me and the club.
“The results are not good enough, we know that. We’ve gone 30 games unbeaten away from home and now we’ve lost two on the bounce and conceded four goals in both of them, so of course something’s wrong.”
United improved after the break as the rarely-used Van de Beek and Anthony Martial were thrown on at the interval, but Solskjaer admitted his side’s mentality had to be questioned.
“The first half was very very poor, we need to get the players in a better frame of mind to start the game because in the second half when it seemed like they had nothing to lose, they played well,” he added.
“I’ve got to say you’re surprised because all of these lads are good lads and top players, but when it’s not going well it’s hard to play with that mental break. In the second half when we had nothing to lose they played fantastically and scored a good goal but of course it wasn’t enough.”
Solskjaer, reflecting on United’s dismal performance, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is difficult to explain. We are in a very bad moment. We have a lack of momentum and we are in a very bad period.
“The first half was so below the standards these players have set for themselves. We let Watford into our half way too easy. We got what we deserved.
“We definitely need something to happen. We are so much better than what we are showing.
“I believe in my staff, my players and myself.”
Asked if he feared for his future at the club, he replied: “That’s for discussion between the club and myself.”
Earlier, United keeper David De Gea gave a damning verdict on United’s display, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: “We don’t know what to do with the ball. We don’t know how to defend properly.”
