Schmeichel defends Solskjaer’s work with “very average” Man Utd squad

Peter Schmeichel has given a scathing review of Manchester United’s current squad, believing them to be “very average” and lacking in desire.

The former goalkeeper won 10 major honours during his time at Old Trafford in the 90s and was a part of the famous treble-winning side of 1999.

Man United’s fall from grace: Five things to know…

• Man United are without a league title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2012/13.
• The Red Devils have managed just two top-four finishes since then.
• Their current total of 13 points from 11 games is Man United’s lowest at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1986/87.
• Schmeichel has questioned the current squad’s commitment, as well as their on-field talent.
• Man United are already 18 points behind league leaders and arch-rivals Liverpool.

Such dizzying heights seem like a distant memory to this current crop of players, though, with the Red Devils without a league title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge in 2012/13, while they’ve finished in the Premier League’s top four just twice during that time.

And following their latest defeat – 1-0 away at Bournemouth – Schmeichel has laid into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s crop of players, insisting there is only so much his former teammate can do given the lack of committed players and talent at his disposal.

“It was definitely not good,” he told Premier League Productions. “I kind of feel for Ole, I think he is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

READ MORE: Bournemouth 1-0 Man Utd – Full player ratings as a former Red Devil burns Solskjaer’s side

“There’s not really a lot he can do. The fact is that it’s a very average squad of players that he’s got.

“To go to Bournemouth and to, not be bullied off the pitch, but at times played off the pitch, and with only one shot on target, it’s bad.

“We’ve all experienced games like that where it’s not coming off for you and stuff like that. But what really gets to me is the work rate – the work rate is just not good enough.

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“You play for Man United, you have to work hard for 90 minutes or however long the game is and there are certain players in there who come off the pitch [and] there’s no sweat on them, they look like they don’t care if those lose the ball or lose a tackle and don’t get the ball.

“For me, that’s not good enough.”

Man United’s defeat to the Cherries leaves them down in 10th place in the Premier League table, 10 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and 18 behind leaders Liverpool.

The Red Devils host Partizan in the Europa League on Thursday before facing Brighton on Sunday.