Mike Phelan has revealed the reason for Manchester United's dip in form after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer secured the manager's job - because the players had been worked too hard while he was interim boss.
Phelan returned to Old Trafford as No2 when Solskjaer was handed the reins at United on an interim basis following Jose Mourinho's departure in December last year.
Solskjaer and Phelan presided over 10 wins from their first 11 games - culminating in their astonishing comeback win over Paris-Saint Germain in the Champions League back in March.
That effectively secured Solskjaer the manager's job on a permanent basis - but United's form has dipped alarmingly since then.
The Red Devils crashed out of the Champions League and dropped out of the Premier League's top four, while this season they are currently just two points above the relegation zone in 14th place.
United are winless in their last six matches in all competitions ahead of their Europa League clash away to Partizan Belgrade on Thursday.
And Phelan reckons the players just couldn't sustain the levels required after that incredible run following Solskjaer's return to Old Trafford.
"We’d taken them from nothing to sky high, but they bottomed out because it was just too much, they weren’t prepared for it," Phelan told The Athletic . "So we had a lot of things to work on."
Phelan says Solskjaer needs more time to build his own team after signing just three players this summer - right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, centre-half Harry Maguire and winger Daniel James.
"Ole relates well with the players, he understands what Man United is," said Phelan.
"It is definitely a difficult moment, but Ole hasn’t got his team yet.
"He’s had three players - you need more than three to be the manager of your own team. We can build on something, I think. Ole just needs that opportunity to create the culture again."
