Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he’s been impressed with Eric Bailly’s performances in training and has tipped the defender for a big role this season.
Bailly has battled injuries since being signed by Jose Mourinho in 2016 and last season was no different.
But Solskjaer says the 26-year-old has come back stronger and caught his eye in training now he’s back fit again.
As per the club’s official website, Solskjaer said: “Don’t forget Eric Bailly. He missed up until February and missed more than half of the season.
“But he came back stronger and stronger and, towards the end of the season, he looked really strong.
So I think we’ll see a lot of Eric. He’s looked really strong in training as well.
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At his best Bailly offers recovery pace and athleticism which is unmatched among Solskjaer’s other central defensive options.
The issue always seems to be that he plays a few games, impresses and then is held back by another issue.
If both players were fully fit, there’s a genuine argument for Bailly being a better option to start alongside Harry Maguire than Victor Lindelof.
His pace certainly offers a greater balance with the club captain’s no-nonsense style and Lindelof made three crucial errors in a number of weeks at the end of last season.
As ever, the issue is his fitness. If he can have a full season without injuries, Solskjaer is right to predict a big role for Bailly.
Bailly hasn’t really had that since his arrival in 2016 and he is now embarking on his fifth campaign at Old Trafford.
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