Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has lost his “golden touch” and has “finally found out what managing Manchester United is like”, according to Sam Allardyce.
United suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Everton on Sunday, after which an incensed Solskjaer publicly questioned the attitude of some of his players.
The defeat was United’s sixth in their last eight games in all competitions in a dramatic downturn in form - after the Norwegian’s initial streak of 11 matches undefeated as caretaker – in which echoes of the atmosphere around the club under Jose Mourinho have threatened to return.
“Ole has finally found out what managing Manchester United is like,” Allardyce told Talksport.
“All of a sudden he’s gone from having a golden touch to, how do I solve this problem we have now?
“The problem is deepening by every single game and he’s got to find a way very, very quickly to put it right.
“They’ve got a massive game on Wednesday against Manchester City and he’s got to pull some magic out of the bag and get the team focused and back playing like they did when he first arrived.
“It’s a big challenge for him now.”
Ashley Young is one of a number of players who hope United can reverse their recent change in fortunes and re-evidence their commitment to the club by derailing City’s title defence on Wednesday.
“We have got another tough one coming up on Wednesday, a Manchester derby,” Young said after the defeat at Goodison Park. ”I don’t think we have to speak about that – we know how important that is going to be. If you can’t get yourselves up for a Manchester derby there is something wrong.
“I think it can be [the best thing], it is a Manchester derby. I’ve got confidence in every player that we are going to be ready on Wednesday.
“We have got to dust ourselves down fairly quickly and go again this week.
