Man Utd match analysis and player ratings: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has much work to do… especially in midfield

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The Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era is off to a winning start – and in these circumstances, that's all that matters.

For all the talk of culturally resetting Manchester United and returning the club to its finest traditions, there was more than a hint of Jose Mourinho about this 2-1 win against an awkward Watford.

Not that anyone inside Old Trafford cared.

They just want to keep the feel-good factor going and see how far it can take them this season.

But here was a reminder of the size of the task in front of Solskjaer at the end of a week when he was confirmed permanent manager.

Photo: Man Utd via Getty Images
Man Utd via Getty Images

For the record, he's the fourth such appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson retired almost six years ago.

And a starting XI that featured five players from Ferguson's time at the club – six if Paul Pogba can be counted – bore the hallmarks of a club that has struggled to move on.

Player Ratings

De Gea 7
Young 7
Smalling 7
Jones 7
Shaw 7
Matic 6
Herrera 4
Pogba 6
Mata 4
Rashford 8
Martial 6

Substitutes

Lingard 6
Pereira 5
Rojo 4

The answer, after hundreds of millions of pounds, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho, is to go back to the future with Solskjaer.

But the Norwegian needs to make this team his own if he is to make good on his promise to end United's Premier League title drought.

He's proved he can lift a squad – galvanise a club even. Now he needs to build a team in his own image, in the manner of the sides he hopes to usurp Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino have been given the backing to create teams that are unmistakably theirs.

Beit money, time, control or all of the above, the managers who occupy the top three positions in the Premier League have been allowed to do it their way.

Solskjaer has done enough to convince United's owners the Glazer family and Ed Woodward that he can be trusted 'at the wheel.'

But he will know he can only go so far with the squad he inherited. A squad that sat 11 points adrift of fourth place when he was parachuted in on a caretaker basis in December, but is now level on points with Tottenham in third, albeit that Spurs have a game in hand.

Man Utd's Transfer Window shortlist

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He's worked wonders, which is why he was handed a three-year contract. But defeat to Wolves before the international break and Watford's dominance for long periods in this match were reminders that this is very much a work in progress.

United's lack of midfield control was alarming.

Their two goals came against the run of play and owed to the swift counter-attacking football Solskjaer has instilled.

Marcus Rashford's 28th-minute opener in particular.

Van Gaal would call it park the bus football – others would describe it as ruthless attacking on the break.

Under pressure on the edge of their own box, United swept forward with Luke Shaw, who played a perfect ball into space for Rashford to run onto.

With just Ben Foster to beat, the striker clipped the ball over the top of the Watford goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

It flattered United – but a far from convincing display was eventually put to bed by Anthony Martial in the 71st minute when meeting substitute Jesse Lingard's cross.

His attempt at a back heel got caught under his feet, but he was quick-minded enough to spin and hook the ball into the roof of the net.

Watford deserved much more than Abdoulaye Doucoure's consolation in the last minute.

With Champions League football to strive for this season, the manner of victory matters little. But Solskjaer has areas of his squad, which are desperately in of address if he is turn United from top four challengers to serious title contenders.

Rashford feels the Solskjaer effect – but Martial still frustrates

The Solskjaer effect has never been more evident than in Rashford's soaring confidence in front of goal.

Racing onto Shaw's through ball, he would previously have snatched at a chance when seeing the whites of the keeper's eyes. But with Foster out quickly to close down the space, the England striker calmly clipped the ball into the far corner.

Photo: Man Utd via Getty Images
Man Utd via Getty Images

It was further evidence that he can establish himself at the point of United's attack as a No9 of the highest quality.

It was his 45th goal for United in all competitions since his debut in 2016 – making him the club's highest scorer over that period.

But where Rashford has flourished, Martial still has the tendency to frustrate.

The Frenchman has been outstanding at times this season and did score United's second to kill off the match – but Solskjaer believes his seeming lack of desire to score ugly goals is holding him back.

There was an example of that in the first half when failing to find space for himself as Rashford cut a ball back into the danger zone.

The world's best strikers will do everything they can to get onto the ball in such circumstances. But where Martial is concerned, the sense is that he just doesn't want it enough.

Herrera and Mata do themselves no favours

Given their contract predicaments, this was not a good day for Ander Herrera and Juan Mata to put in such limp displays.

Both players are free agents at the end of the season, with talks over new deals proving protracted.

Photo: PA
PA

Herrera has been one of the outstanding performers under Solskjaer, but this was a strangely subdued showing in a game when United desperately needed to get control in midfield.

While he can put it down to a bad day at the office, Mata increasingly looks like a square peg in a round hole, given Solskjaer's counter attacking style.

Too often he slowed the play down – and it is difficult to see him being a part of the Norwegian's long-term plans.

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