After a blistering start to his managerial career, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now facing his first taste of adversity at United.
United’s form has spectacularly slumped after an initial honeymoon period under the Norwegian and the once dynamic and fluid football they played has became lacklustre, slow and toothless.
Among solving United’s form issues, Solskjaer has to weigh up his summer transfer plans and there’s no doubt he will have to address Ander Herrera’s future at the club with his current deal expiring this summer, with PSG set to win the race for his signature.
But regardless of whether the Spaniard plays in Manchester or Paris next season, he still has a part to play in United’s three remaining fixtures.
Herrera has been absent from Solskjaer’s starting line up since February and played no part in United’s disastrous performance at Goodison Park and more recently the Manchester Derby.
United’s sudden string of poor results and Herrera’s absence may appear to have no correlation at first glance, however the statistics overwhelmingly argue otherwise.
United have played nine league games with Herrera in the starting line-up and eight without under Solskjaer’s reign.
Incredibly, United have won eight of the nine games that Herrera has started in, with the one exception being the goalless draw to Liverpool.
On the other hand, United have only won four of the nine games that Herrera hasn’t started and one of those wins was against Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day.
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After Herrera came on that day, Paul Pogba slotted home two goals which sealed the 3-1 victory and interestingly it seems Pogba is seen to his best effect when playing alongside Herrera.
Pogba has scored ten goals under Solskjaer and seven of them have come when Herrera is on the pitch.
It’s clear to see that the Frenchman thrives alongside Herrera, with the two complementing each other in midfield, allowing Pogba to venture into a more attacking role.
Chelsea visiting Old Trafford could be the pivotal moment in United’s season if results go their way, and reintroducing Herrera back into the starting line-up could stop the rot and inspire a miraculous charge for Champions League football.
For United to clinch a top four spot, which seemed impossible under Jose Mourinho, it is seemingly imperative that Herrera is involved in the remaining three fixtures of the season.
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