We look at the Opta stats that show exactly why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserved to be given the Manchester United manager's job full time.
The club legend has returned to rejuvenate the flagging Red Devils and now he's got the job full time, and the stats show just why.
From a tremendous unbeaten start, to a fine Champions League victory and getting the very best out of their top stars, Solskjaer has justified United's decision to give him a chance.
Solskjaer's great start
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has enjoyed a phenomenal stint at Manchester United during his ‘caretaker’ manager role at Old Trafford. The Norwegian has won 14 of his 19 competitive games as the Red Devils’ boss – losing just three games overall, although two of those defeats have come in his last two games.
- His first defeat as Manchester United manager came at home to Paris St Germain in the first leg of their Last 16 Champions League tie (0-2 at Old Trafford), however, the Premier League side went on to win 3-1 away in the 2nd leg and in doing so became the first team in Champions League history to qualify for the next round having lost the first leg of a knockout match at home by two or more goals.
- Manchester United’s 3-1 victory in Paris against PSG in the 2nd leg of their Last 16 Champions League tie was their ninth successive away victory – all coming under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This nine-game winning streak away from home was the longest ever by a Manchester United team in all competitions.
Ole's unbeaten run
- Manchester United have won 10 of their 13 Premier League games since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival at the club on December 19th, 2018. He has the best win ratio (76.9%) and points per game ratio (2.46) of any Manchester United manager in the Premier League, as it stands.
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed six successive league wins at the start of his tenure as Manchester United manager, defeating Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town, Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League. This is the best winning sequence by any Manchester United manager ever from the start of their managerial tenure at the club.
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remained unbeaten in the Premier League at Manchester United in his opening 12 games, before losing 0-2 at Arsenal on March 10th, 2019. This equalled the Premier League record, set earlier this season by Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea (also 12 games).
Solskjaer's points tally
- When Jose Mourinho left his post as Manchester United manager and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over on December 19th, the Red Devils were in sixth place in the Premier League table and were eight points behind fifth-placed Arsenal and 11 points away from Chelsea in fourth.
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 32-point tally at the start of his Premier League managerial spell at Manchester United is the joint-third highest points tally by a manager at the start of their tenure at a single club in the competition. Only Carlo Ancelotti (33 points at Chelsea) and Guus Hiddink (34 points at Chelsea) have managed better points tallies after 13 games at a club in the Premier League.
- Since Solskjaer’s appointment at Manchester United, the Red Devils have won a league-high 32 points and no side have won more games than they have (10). They were 11 points behind Chelsea when the Norwegian manager took charge of the club, but they now lead the London club by a point in the table.
Player improvement under Solskjaer
- Three players that have improved this season under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in all competitions for Manchester United are Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba.
- Romelu Lukaku scored six goals and had one assist in 22 games under Jose Mourinho in all competitions this season. Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came to the club on December 19th, his minutes per goal and minutes per goal involvement ratios have more than halved
- Marcus Rashford has scored eight goals in 18 games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in all competitions for Manchester United, including in five of Manchester United’s first seven competitive games under the Norwegian. Both his minutes per goal and minutes per goal involvement ratios have improved, plus his shot conversion ratio has jumped from 10.5% under Mourinho to 13.8% under Solskjaer.
- Paul Pogba has been involved in 16 goals in 17 appearances for Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has averaged a goal involvement every 94.5 minutes in all competitions since December 19th. Only Sergio Aguero (19) has been involved in more goals in all competitions (of Premier League players) since December 19th than Paul Pogba.