Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warned his players to brace themselves for a week of intense external pressure as he issued a heartfelt rallying cry to his disgraced players following the embarrassing loss to Liverpool.
In the aftermath of the 5-0 humiliation to their deadly rivals, sources claim United boss Solskjaer, who is facing growing doubts from within his squad over his suitability as head coach, was just as stunned as anyone in the confines of the team’s Old Trafford dressing room after the full-time whistle.
But it is understood Solskjaer called on his players to ‘fight’ their way back from one of the darkest days the club has suffered in their illustrious history.
‘It was made clear to the players that they all, including the manager, would get battered this week’, read the source.
‘But the message was that the team either fights each other or fight back together.’
Whether the Norwegian’s impassioned plea is enough to muster a response from his players remains to be seen.
United travel to Nuno Espirito Santo’s Tottenham on Saturday, where defeat would pile huge pressure on either manager, before a trip to Atalanta on November 2.
Solskjaer’s side then face champions Manchester City in the derby on November 6.
Three positive results will ease the pressure and scrutiny on Solskjaer’s position – but the United boss will have to guide the club through its latest crisis amid significant misgivings about his coaching attributes from within his squad.
There is a concern among senior members of the squad that Solskjaer is not up to scratch tactically, certainly in comparison to other top managers in the managers in the Premier League.
United were 4-0 down at half-time against Liverpool on Sunday, and sources claim the message from Solskjaer ahead of the second half was for his players to keep a clean sheet in the second half. Salah completed his hat-trick within five minutes of the restart.
There is said to be no animosity towards Solskjaer, not something that can be said about some of the head coach’s predecessors in the post Sir Alex Ferguson era.
But it is claimed there is an increasing feeling that the club will not revisit their former glories while the Norwegian is in charge.