Gabby Agbonlahor insists Manchester United have delayed the inevitable for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, despite a win against a ‘bang average’ Tottenham side.
Solskjaer is battling for his job after last weekend’s 5-0 humiliation by Liverpool, but as has been the case so often during his reign at United, his team delivered a result when he needed it the most.
A brilliant goal by Cristiano Ronaldo – his 11th against Tottenham, the most of any English opponent – and second-half strikes from Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford saw United coast to a 3-0 win in north London and gave the Norwegian a bit of breathing space.
He will not be out of the woods just yet, though, with a Champions League trip to Atalanta and the Manchester derby to come in the next week.
Although the Norwegian may well have eased pressure on himself, Agbonlahor still fears the scythe is still looming ominously above the hero of 1999.
“The players played for him today,” Agbonlahor said on GameDay: Your Verdict. “From the first second of the game, they showed fight. They were fighting for Solskjaer.
“This was the obvious formation to play; your defenders are struggling, if you’re struggling to keep clean sheets, what are you going to do?
“You’re going to go five at the back, it’s not rocket science. I said it midweek, play five at the back, stop the goals going in and you have goalscorers in your team.
“You could have played Ronaldo, Cavani, Greenwood or Rashford as your two strikers because they would have scored today.
“Rashford comes on scores, you’re playing against a bang average Spurs team. Basically, for me, this is just prolonging what is going to happen.
“Ole is going to leave Manchester United, but you’ve got to give him credit for getting the result today.”
Antonio Conte is reportedly waiting in the wings to take over having been ‘sounded out’ by the United board, despite Solskjaer securing the vitally important three points.
While the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’ will have enjoyed his evening, the same cannot be said for opposite number Nuno.
Tottenham fans turned on their boss, chanting ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ and made their feelings clear at full-time with a loud chorus of boos.