Man Utd's Bournemouth Premier League win shows who Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must drop

Posted Sunday, July 05, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Man Utd's Bournemouth Premier League win shows who Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must drop
Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer oversaw his side's Premier League win over Bournemouth (Image: GETTY)

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw his side beat Bournemouth in their Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon.

Manchester United continued their resurgence with a 5-2 victory over Bournemouth. The Red Devils survived a sluggish start against the Cherries to emerge victorious courtesy of goals from Mason Greenwood (2), Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial. But, for David De Gea, it was another questionable display.

United lacked the same fluency and creativity displayed in the victories over Brighton and Sheffield United during the early embers of their match against Bournemouth.

But they still picked up a crucial three points at Old Trafford, boosting their chances of finishing in the Premier League top four in the process.

Bournemouth took a surprise lead in the 16th minute through Junior Stanislas, who squeezed the ball past De Gea in goal.

But United responded emphatically with three goals afterwards.

Greenwood got the first, with the 18-year-old taking his tally to 14 for the campaign with a powerful love drive that beat David Ramsdale in the Bournemouth goal.

United then went ahead six minutes later, with Marcus Rashford converting from the penalty spot following a handball in the Bournemouth box.

Martial got on the scoresheet, too, finding the net with a stunning strike.

Bournemouth pulled one back through Josh King but the Red Devils weren't to be denied, with Greenwood and Fernandes then scoring.

Once again it was a positive afternoon for United. But, not for the first time this season, De Gea made a mistake that nearly cost his side dear.

And while he was on the winning side, De Gea's questionable performance should prompt a response. When the season ends, it's time for Solskjaer to make a change.

De Gea has received backing. Solskjaer has supported him, so too former goalkeeping coach Eric Steele and 1999 treble winner Dwight Yorke as well.

But the Spain international is a shadow of his old self and mistakes have crept into his game with alarming frequency. For example, this is De Gea's second mistake in the five matches played since the restart.

Man Utd's Bournemouth Premier League win shows who Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must drop
Man Utd star David De Gea made a big mistake against Bournemouth (Image: GETTY)

When United were struggling to fend off mediocrity under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, De Gea was always the club's one true top performer.

When Real Madrid came calling in the summer of 2015 it sparked panic in the United ranks. Only thanks to a faulty fax machine did the Red Devils succeed in keeping the Spaniard at the club.

That was a big win. And De Gea continued to deliver under Van Gaal and then Jose Mourinho. Since Solskjaer, however, things have gone south.

Gone are the days where De Gea was United's biggest strength. He now appears to be the club's biggest weakness as they blitz opposition defences left, right and centre.

He should have saved Stanislas' strike. It was at the near post but it was able to sail past him - similar to a goal De Gea conceded in the 2016 FA Cup final.

And it came after errors already made against the likes of Watford, Arsenal and Tottenham. It's not just a one off anymore, it's becoming a regular theme of United's season.

Waiting in the wings right now is Sergio Romero, a player who has barely put a foot wrong since joining under Van Gaal back in the summer transfer window of 2015.

Yet while he's on the club's books Solskjaer is still set to back De Gea - even if he shouldn't.

Instead, this summer represents the perfect time for the club to make a change between the sticks. In Dean Henderson, the Red Devils already possess an upgrade.

Henderson has the ability and, more importantly, the character required to cope with the pressure that comes from being at the top. And he's easily outperformed De Gea this season.

It's time for United to drop their No 1. They got away with it against Bournemouth but can't always bank on their frontline of superstars to bail them out.