Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has ‘real issue on his hands’ at Man Utd despite two signings
Former Southampton star Francis Benali says Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have not improved the Manchester United defence enough.
Man Utd: Harry Maguire SLAMMED after Crystal Palace loss
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a real issue to sort out with the Manchester United defence, according to Southampton legend Francis Benali.
The Red Devils have picked up five points from their opening four matches of the Premier League season.
They suffered a shock defeat at home to Crystal Palace last weekend, going down 1-0 at Old Trafford.
Benali was analysing the goals United conceded through Jordan Ayew and Patrick van Aanholt.
I think it’s a real issue, even with bringing Maguire in, even with signing Wan-Bissaka
And he claimed there were big problems that needed resolving at the back despite the summer additions of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who cost a combined £130million.
“I think it’s got to be a big concern for them,” Benali said on Soccer Saturday.
“You look at sort of bringing Harry Maguire in and being a big player to sort of fill a bit of a void.
“Goalscoring is not really going to be an issue for them I don’t think.
“But look, Maguire’s nowhere near, the striker’s running straight through the middle and the back four just looks all over the place.
“Yes they’ve brought Wan-Bissaka in who I think is going to be a great full-back.
“You could point the finger here at [Paul] Pogba in losing the ball in midfield and you think there’s not too much trouble here at this point, still look relatively comfortable.
“Old Trafford years ago was such a fortress wasn’t it and very few teams went there and got something. So he’s got a real issue on his hands.
Wan-Bissaka is ‘best defender’ at Man United says pundit
“You could look at [David] De Gea there at being at fault for that particular goal, the winner.
“But yeah defensively it’s got to be something of a big concern for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“He’s got a number of centre-halves that he could shuffle the pack with but I think it’s a real issue, even with bringing Maguire in, even with signing Wan-Bissaka, having a Luke Shaw or someone like that at left-back.
“There’s good players there but they’ve got to stop the rot because otherwise they’re going to struggle again this season.”