Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer delivered an emphatic post-match interview to BT Sport to lambast the English football authorities as a ‘joke’ in protest of the scheduling of Premier League fixtures – he was absolutely right to do so.
Manchester United’s Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reacts during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on November 7, 2020. (Photo by Clive Brunskill / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by CLIVE BRUNSKILL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Solskjaer’s comments followed United’s 3-1 victory against Everton at Goodison Park just three days after the Red Devils’ Champions League encounter against İstanbul Başakşehir.
United landed back in England at 4 am on Thursday morning and had the earliest weekend kick-off in the Premier League.
As a result, United have seemingly lost both Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford to injury which understandably left Solskjaer venting his fury at the authorities to take action.
“We were set up to fail,” Solskjaer complained to Des Kelly.
“The kick-off time set us up to fail. We have been to Turkey, played loads of games this season already, we got back Thursday morning and we are playing Saturday lunchtime, it’s an absolute shambles.”
"The kick-off time set us up to fail."
"It's an absolute shambles. The boys deserve better."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is furious that Man Utd have had to play on Saturday afternoon having played in Turkey on Wednesday night.
🎙 @TheDesKelly pic.twitter.com/4xjJqMhU8y
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 7, 2020
Klopp will support Solskjaer
If there was anyone who would immediately jump to the aid of Solskjaer following his post-match comments it certainly would be Klopp.
The Liverpool manager has publically spoken out on such issues in the past with the Reds sufferirng similar misfortunes during the 2-2 draw with Everton last month.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 17: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT ) Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool carnt beleive during the Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park on October 17, 2020 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
In the aftermath of the international break, in which several Liverpool stars were in action for their respective countries on a Wednesday night, the Reds were pencilled in to play the Merseyside derby for a Saturday afternoon kick-off.
It effectively leeaves managers with little over a day to prepare the team for action.
Klopp felt so passionately about the situation that he even jumped to the defence of title rivals Manchester City who were also recent victims of the ridiculous scheduling system from the football authorities.
“I think everybody would agree that if you play Tuesday night, you can play the Saturday 12:30 pm game, but the Premier League never realises that,” Klopp noted last month. “They always put in the Wednesday night game.
“Last Saturday, Man City had to play this game. We are obviously not friends, we play against each other and fight against each other, but how is that possible? They just aren’t bothered, I don’t understand why.”
Klopp is absolutely spot-on and hopefully, Solskjaer’s comments can be the latest example of why something needs to be done for the future well-being and protection of the players.
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