Roy Keane sounded out a big warning for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he said the honeymoon is over for the Manchester United manager, who is already under pressure and needs to deliver this season.
Keane’s former team-mate Solskjaer has seen his side beaten by Crystal Palace before being largely outplayed by Brighton but somehow coming away with three points from the Amex – but neither performance was filled with quality.
Defensively in particular United have been sloppy and Keane, never one to mince his words about his former club, set out just what the Red Devils boss has to achieve this year in order to fend off criticism and remain in a job.
After watching two poor displays to open the new season, Keane says that the honeymoon is well and truly over for Solskjaer, who needs to close the gap on Liverpool and Man City and also get his hands on a trophy this season.
“It’s not been great,” Keane said on Sky Sports about Man Utd’s start to the season. “They would’ve been pleased with the result against Brighton but worrying signs already in the first week, I know it’s early, but they’re giving up a lot of goals and a lot of chances against Palace and Brighton.
"So the signs aren’t great.
"It’d be different if it was Man City or Liverpool with obviously brilliant attacking players, but you’d expect them to do better against Palace and the chances Brighton created…everyone’s focusing in on defensively how poor they’ve been, but as a team they’ve not been great, particularly the amount of chances they’re giving up."
Honeymoon's over for Ole
Solskjaer surprised a few by steering United into third place last season, but still miles behind the top two and Keane says that the manager will now have to deliver a trophy and close that gap to be judged a success at Old Trafford.
"The remit will be different for Ole this year," Keane added. "I think last year they would’ve been saying to get in the top four, I know he got to three semi-finals, but it’ll be higher this year and they’ll have to get a little bit closer to Liverpool and Man City.
"The points total cannot be the same again as it has been over the last three or four years.
"I think Ole would probably have to get his hands on a trophy and I think the honeymoon period is certainly over for Ole and the pressure starts to mount now, particularly with the performances they’ve had over the last week or so."
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