Five things we learned from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team selection v LASK

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a striking team selection against LASK.

Here is a look at five things we learned from how the United boss set out his side…

Ole really wants to win the Europa League

We speculated heavily that this could be a game for rotation. And it was, kind of, just not as extremely as we expected.

There was no start for Teden Mengi, James Garner, or Tahith Chong, despite the 5-0 lead from the first leg.

This was a show of respect to LASK, who are a strong side, and a nod to how seriously United are taking the Europa League this month.

The quarter-final against Copenhagen will take place on Monday, and the semis, and final within the following 10 days.

Solskjaer told BT Sport: “We want to do this properly, we want to go with momentum into the next game.”

Disappointment for Ethan Laird

While United were able to bring on some of the young players in the second half, Ethan Laird did not even get the chance to be considered.

The young right-back was a notable absentee, not even on the bench.

This came on his birthday. Laird will have dreamed the week before that his 19th would turn out differently.

Solskjaer might in time regret not giving Laird another taste of first team action. It feels like a missed opportunity, although given that he has not played in months, it is understandable.

Diogo Dalot appears to be done at United

We can’t rule out an injury for Dalot. He has picked one up in August 2018 and 2019.

But we don’t know what Dalot is injured. He has probably just been dropped.

The Portuguese talent was reported by The Telegraph last month to be up for sale this summer. An exit looks inevitable. It seems Solskjaer has just given up on him and prefers other options.

Harry Maguire is undroppable

Harry Maguire was due a rest. Perhaps Solskjaer considered the fact he had one last week to be enough.

Maguire started every Premier League game this past season and this match became his 53rd start in all competitions of 2019/20.

Solskjaer can’t go without his club captain, and that’s to Maguire’s credit. It shows the impact he has made over the past year, with this game coming one year to the day since he signed for United.

Tough luck for James Garner

If James Garner cannot even get off the bench for Manchester United in this circumstance, his immediate prospects do not look good.

Garner spoke ahead of the game to the club website about how ‘desperate’ he is to play football, having not featured for the first team since December.

This 90 minutes sitting on the bench only reinforced that Garner needs to leave United on loan if he is going to play.

• How Marcus Rashford fared for England in 4-2 World Cup win vs Croatia
• How Bruno Fernandes fared in Portugal’s 1-1 draw against DR Congo
• Tom Heaton tips resilient Harry Maguire to bounce back from England snub
• ‘Rejected’… Ruben Amorim suffers major blow as AC Milan deal for key addition collapses already
• What sources close to Patrick Dorgu are now saying about his long-term future for Man Utd
• Kobbie Mainoo says England are about to face a player Casemiro speaks so highly about, ‘Pedestal…’
• Bruno Fernandes has now told Man Utd to sign £85m midfielder who is ‘very keen’ on transfer
• Michael Carrick lifts lid on Sir Jim Ratcliffe relationship as optimism brews for new season
• Graeme Souness says he’s now changed his mind about Bruno Fernandes at Man Utd