{"id":294945,"date":"2023-10-31T06:24:39","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T06:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?p=294945"},"modified":"2023-10-31T06:24:39","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T06:24:39","slug":"erik-ten-hag-must-copy-ole-gunnar-solskjaer-to-prevent-his-latest-player-bust-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/soccer\/erik-ten-hag-must-copy-ole-gunnar-solskjaer-to-prevent-his-latest-player-bust-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Erik ten Hag must copy Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to prevent his latest player bust-up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Football Digest: Man Utd urged to give Ten Hag time he needs<\/h3>\n

Erik ten Hag has been hit with an unprecedented storm of injuries during his disastrous second season in charge of Manchester United. But he made bizarre decisions with the players available in Sunday’s derby, none more so than his persistence in using Bruno Fernandes as a right-winger.<\/p>\n

Fernandes was a sensational attacking midfielder at Sporting Club. He joined United in a \u00a347million deal in January 2020 and has been a sensational attacking midfielder at Old Trafford, too.<\/p>\n

The Red Devils have had issues on the right since he landed in Manchester. Mason Greenwood’s emergence was a brief antidote, but Jadon Sancho and Antony have not stepped up since his exit from the frame.<\/p>\n

It has left Fernandes having to fill in on the right, where he is statistically significantly less effective than centrally.<\/p>\n

But Ten Hag had Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Anthony Martial, Facundo Pellistri and, most damningly, his \u00a385m signing Antony at his disposal on Sunday.<\/p>\n

And yet he started Fernandes on the right, to, unsurprisingly, little success. Ten Hag must take a leaf out of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s book and play his best player in his best position.<\/p>\n

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READ MORE <\/strong> Man Utd have five players letting down Erik ten Hag more than their team-mates[COMMENT] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Fernandes has registered 16 goals and 18 assists in 72 appearances under the Dutchman, averaging 0.47 goal contributions per game.<\/p>\n

That’s a substantial drop-off from his exploits under Solskjaer, who flaunted United’s most potent attack since Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2013 retirement to entertain the masses during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

As a regular fixture at the centre of Greenwood, Rashford and Martial, Fernandes scored 44 times and provided 35 assists in 97 games for Solskjaer. The average? 0.81 contributions per outing.<\/p>\n

Ten Hag needs to go back to basics to stop the rot, which has seen his side lose seven of their opening 14 games this term, winning by more than a single goal just once.<\/p>\n