Ole Gunnar Solskjaer takes his Manchester United side to Tottenham on Saturday knowing that he is probably in last chance saloon territory when it comes to keeping his job.
The crushing manner in which his side surrendered against fierce rivals Liverpool on Sunday has brought a toxic energy surrounding the club.
But the Athletic report that United will keep faith with Solskjaer for this Saturday’s clash with Tottenham.
With the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium potentially being the last for the Norwegian as the Manchester United manager, he can ill-afford not to get his team selection right.
That could well mean that some big names face being dropped but one man that Solskjaer should consider recalling is Edinson Cavani.
Cavani influential in Tottenham win
The Uruguayan thought he had took the lead in last season’s clash away to Spurs after some clever movement and a clinical left-footed finish through the legs of Hugo Lloris.
But his goal was ruled out by VAR due to Scott McTominay catching Son
Heung-min in the face with a flailing hand.
It was Cavani’s movement that helped bring United level after he again escaped the Tottenham defenders in the penalty area and his effort was parried out into the path of Fred, who slotted home.
With Cavani in between Aurier and Dier, Mason Greenwood delivered a perfect first-time cross into the path of the predatory striker, who put United ahead with a textbook diving header.
Greenwood ensured Solskjaer’s ran out 3-1 winners in what was a clinical second half performance against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham.
Tottenham didn’t know how to defend against the explosive movement of Cavani and the 34-year-old ripped them apart.
It’s highly unlikely that Solskjaer is going to make that many drastic changes that he drops Cristiano Ronaldo.
But with his defence looking more vulnerable than ever, the former Cardiff and Molde boss could opt to go with a 3-5-2 formation and play both Cavani and Ronaldo upfront.
With Tottenham looking equally shaky at the back too, firing crosses into the box for Ronaldo and Cavani to get on the end of, could be Solskjaer’s best avenue to securing the most crucial three points of his United tenure.
Cavani was unplayable at Tottenham last season and he could rip Nuno Espirito Santo’s side apart this season and help ease the growing pressure on his manager.
- Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2026/27
- Glazer family members consider Manchester United stake sale, claim Bloomberg
- Forget Fernando Torres, Nemanja Vidic now names three ‘more difficult’ opponents he faced at Man Utd
- Andy Cole reacts as Michael Carrick set to make his first signing for Man Utd
- Michael Carrick is showing what Man Utd ‘stands for’ with one commitment to role, says Timothy Fosu-Mensah
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
