Solskjaer’s snappy response to Roy Keane’s scathing rant was spot on
"I'm sure we'll see a response."
With three defeats in their opening six Premier League games, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure at Manchester United was left hanging by a thread.
Solskjaer’s comments to Roy Keane felt like an empty promise with little evidence to show what was about to transpire at Old Trafford.
The 1-0 home loss at the hands of Arsenal, left United marooned in the bottom half, trailing league leaders by a daunting nine points.
In their first four home games of the season, United had managed to pick up just one point and it looked almost inevitable the manager would be the fall guy.
Following the defeat to the Gunners, Keane took aim at Solskjaer’s players, predicting they would cause him to lose his job.
"We were almost building up this season as make-or-break for Ole, but at this moment in time it's not looking good for him,” he said. “I scratch my head at players who don't have enthusiasm for a game of football.
"Sometimes you say 'there's no reason to panic'. But the results and performances suggest you should be panicking.
"Ole will lose his job working with these players – that's what is going to happen."
Fortunately, United didn’t panic and Solskjaer insisted his players were still up for the fight.
“I'm very glad that I've got the players that I have here with us," the United boss said. “I always listen to Roy but we move on here with a great group of players, a strong group of players.”
And that unwavering belief reaped rewards almost instantly, coming from behind to beat Everton at Goodison Park.
That was the first win in a run of form that has seen the Red Devils pick up 29 points from a possible 33, remaining unbeaten for the rest of November and the entire month of December.
Their latest victory, a hard-fought 1-0 win over Burnley saw United leapfrog Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
Solskjaer remained courteous to his former teammate, but there is no doubt the words must have stung his under-fire squad.
A win at Anfield on Sunday will see those same players move six points clear of the champions and in pole position in the title race.
Some response.
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