Bosnich urges Man United to stick with Solskjaer... for now

Under-fire Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should be given time to turn things around at Old Trafford, according to former team-mate Mark Bosnich.

United slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday – a tally of nine points from eight matches their worst at this stage of a Premier League campaign.

A team looking shorn of form and confidence lie two points above the relegation zone and, although Bosnich wants the United board to be patient with Solskjaer, he acknowledges this cannot be finite.

"They're not winning football games and you have to say, at the moment, they're not playing particularly good football," the former Australia goalkeeper told Omnisport.

9 - Manchester United have picked up just nine points from their opening eight Premier League matches this season (W2 D3 L3), their worst start to a league season since 1989-90 (8 points) when they went on to finish 13th. Worrying. pic.twitter.com/oV2kDjRkri

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 6, 2019

"We've spoken before about the big gap that was going to be there when Sir Alex Ferguson left and we understand that. But there's been three managers now, Ole's the fourth manager.

"I can understand everybody's impatience but they're going to have to gather patience.

"If things continue how they're going they may be left with no choice, but I don't think they're at that stage at the moment.

"I would stick. I'm biased, I must admit that, because I'm an ex-team-mate of his. He was not only a world-class player but a world-class person and I would stick with him.

"To be honest, if you look at the availability around the world, it's not as if a Jurgen Klopp or a Pep Guardiola is free and available.

"Stick with him. However, there is a cut-off point. I said this with Jose Mourinho.

"If in another 20 games, 28 games into the season, if he's third from bottom they may be left with no choice."

17 - Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed permanently on March 28th, Manchester United have won just 17 points in 16 @premierleague matches (W4 D5 L7), the fourth-worst tally among the 17 ever-present teams in that time. Wheel. pic.twitter.com/cbd1OYGNv6

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 6, 2019

Bosnich believes Solskjaer and his predecessors have been hamstrung by ill-judged moves in the transfer market, with the August decision to sell Romelu Lukaku to Inter without signing a replacement striker a case in point.

"Let’s be really frank, the recruitment has been poor over the past three or four years," he said.

"Regardless of what the personal situation was, it was a mistake to let Lukaku go without having a ready-made replacement to come in. Especially at that stage of the season."

However, the ex-Chelsea and Aston Villa man insists it is time for the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford to stand up and be counted, with a daunting showdown against Premier League leaders Liverpool waiting on the other side of the international break.

"They didn't [sign a replacement for Lukaku] and now Martial, Rashford and all of them have to find their spirit, find their soul and fight back," Bosnich added.

"There's no use just sort of turning up at training, doing your job, going to the game, hiding, hoping that you don't get any criticism and picking up your wages. That doesn't work at a club like Manchester United."