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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Josh O'Brien

Ian Wright questions Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over Manchester United duo's absences

Former Arsenal star and England international Ian Wright has slammed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for not selecting Jadon Sancho or Jesse Lingard during Manchester United's recent run of form.

Pressure is mounting on the United boss who has overseen a string of results that has seen his side lose three of their last four league outings - conceding eleven in the process.

Sunday's home humiliation at the hands of fierce rivals Liverpool - who ran out 5-0 victors at Old Trafford, marked a new low in Solskjaer's 34-month reign.

READ MORE: Sir Alex Ferguson's opinion of Solskjaer suggests he's abandoned Man Utd plan

The Norwegian was heavily backed financially in the summer, as the club hierarchy permitted the signings of Raphael Varane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sancho.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Jadon Sancho be playing more at Man Utd? Comment below

Jadon Sancho has spent much of his Man Utd career on the bench (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

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The latter cost a whopping £73m from Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund, yet has barely made an impact since his arrival.

Lingard, meanwhile, spent the latter half of last term on loan at fellow Premier League side West Ham, before returning to Old Trafford in the summer ready to make his mark.

Things have not gone to plan - with neither Sancho nor Lingard playing a single second against Liverpool on Sunday, something that bemused Wright as he explained his confusion over their absence in a number of games this season.

Sancho has enjoyed just three starts from United's opening nine league games, though that that is three more than Lingard who has failed to start in league or European action.

Wright believes that both Sancho and Lingard are deserving of more playing time, while also questioning Solskjaer's man-management methods when it comes to players like Eric Bailly, Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek.

Analysing United on the Ringer FC podcast, Wright said: "I’m hearing that Harry Maguire’s not fit enough right now but he’s still playing when you’ve got Eric Bailly there.

"You’ve got Donny van de Beek. Jadon Sancho cost £70m, I know he maybe wasn’t fit at the start of the season but that guy has been brought in to create chances and to play on the right-hand side, which doesn’t work anywhere near as effectively as the left.

"But he can’t get a game. Paul Pogba is still the highest assister in the Premier League, he can’t get a game.

Choose your Manchester United starting line-up below

"So you think to yourself, 'what the hell is going on and how long can this continue?'"

Wright went on to bemoan the handling of Lingard, who played his way back into the international fold at West Ham only to return to United and be forced to sit on the bench.

"Jesse Lingard! How’s Jesse Lingard had a season like he had at West Ham and come back and now can’t get into that Manchester United team?

"He’s one of the best pressers you will see, the man’s killing it for England and killing it for West Ham. Come on man!"

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