Danny Higginbotham has defended Manchester United’s end-of-season slump and has issued a warning to fans calling for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s head.
The attitudes of a number of Red Devils players were questioned after they suffered a dreadful end of the campaign, missing out on Champions League football and finishing sixth in the Premier League table – a full 32 points adrift of champions Manchester City.
But Higginbotham insists the squad do NOT lack desire and instead lack the right fitness to play Solskjaer’s way.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a tough rebuilding job on his hands at Manchester United
United went through a purple patch of ten wins and one draw from Solskjaer’s first 11 games in charge as United’s interim boss.
But, since being appointed permanent manager in March, United have won just twice.
A dreadful campaign was brought to a close with a dismal 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford to relegated Cardiff City, which only brought more criticism on the players
But Higginbotham believes the squad just lack the fitness to properly carry out the Norwegian’s orders on the pitch – something that can be corrected over time.
He told Tuesday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast: “When Ole first came in there was a lot of adrenaline around and the team looked good, they looked strong.
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“But then as the season went on it was plain and obvious for everyone to see – the players aren’t fit enough for Ole’s style.
“That doesn’t mean they’re not fit players, because you have different styles of football.
“If you took Klopp or Guardiola and got them to take over this United squad now, regardless of the different in quality between the groups of players, the United players can’t play in that way. It requires a different level of fitness.
“That’s the way Ole wants to play but Mourinho played a different way, so their fitness levels need to go up considerably because of the style of play Solskjaer wants to bring to the team.”
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Man United players are likely to be put through the wringer by their boss in pre-season training
Higginbotham also called for patience at Old Trafford, with some fans already calling for Solskjaer to be axed just weeks after he was handed the full-time reins.
“It’s a long-term project,” added the Carrington academy graduate.
“Anybody that thinks Man United are going to challenge Man City and Liverpool next season, you need to take a step back.
“You’ve got to build the house slowly but surely, you’ve got to have the foundations and United have not had foundations for a number of years now.”
Listen back to Danny Higginbotham on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast IN FULL above
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