Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been criticised by pundit Martin Keown for his confusing tactics against Sheffield United.
It was not a convincing performance from the Red Devils at Bramall Lane, as they drew 3-3 to the newly-promoted outfit, having at one point been 2-0 down.
One major error by Solskjaer seemed to be including Phil Jones in his starting line up, with the 27-year-old rarely looking good enough to be a regular for United for the best part of five years or so now.
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It’s not clear why the Norwegian tactician went for Jones from the start, especially as it meant switching to a back three, which Man Utd have not used on a regular basis this season.
Keown highlighted this as one major problem for United in this game, as he criticised Solskjaer for confusing his players with his tactical changes.
He also singled out Jones for performing so poorly once again, in what has been one of the most dramatic falls from grace at Old Trafford recently, with Sir Alex Ferguson once tipping him to be an all-time great for the club.
“Remember what Sir Alex Ferguson said about Phil Jones in 2013? ‘The way he is looking, he could be our best-ever player,’ the then Manchester United manager said of Jones, who was 21,” Keown wrote in his column in the Daily Mail.
“Fast forward six years and he is getting hooked at half-time by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. His career has certainly not gone the way Ferguson hoped. Had the Scot been in charge on Sunday, you wonder whether he would have hauled him off after 15 minutes.”
He added: “I’m surprised Solskjaer opted for three at the back in the first place. Maybe he wanted to match up with the hosts, but it only created confusion. The man he shoehorned into the team made a mistake and it left United chasing the game. I saw a different side in the second half and the kids salvaged something for Solskjaer.
“The shining light of the club is always going to be their youth players and they were the reason United left with a point. For the neutral, this was a great spectacle but what a day to forget for Jones on his first Premier League start this season.”