Former Arsenal star, Paul Merson, has criticised Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, ahead of the Red Devils’ Premier League clash with Arsenal on Saturday evening at Emirates.

Merson said that Solskjaer ‘horribly wrong’ got his team selection for the shock 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United on Wednesday, adding that Man United may look back on the loss with regret at the end of the Premier League title race this season.

Solskjaer made six changes to the XI that defeated Premier League champions Liverpool 3-2 in the FA Cup last weekend, with in-form Luke Shaw and Edinson Cavani only named on the bench.

“Ole Gunnar Solskjaer changed his team too much against Sheffield United, and it backfired big style,” Merson told Daily Star.

“I can’t catch my breath at what he’s done there. He got it horribly, horribly wrong, and they lost all momentum.

“I could not believe what I was watching from Manchester United. Play your best team. Get two goals in front, then, rest players.

“What’s Luke Shaw need a rest for? He’s playing the best football of his career, absolutely flying. Don’t tell me he’s tired.

“I heard a United fan on the radio saying the team he put out should still have been good enough to win. If it was good enough, why isn’t it playing every week!?”

Merson added: “It was madness. Solskjaer was trying to be too clever because they have Arsenal this weekend.

“But he’s put his team under pressure now. That could open the door for their rivals, and it means they have to beat Arsenal now.

“United could look back on that at the end of the season as the day the title race turned against them.”

DailyPost