Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that the club have two penalty takers in Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford this season, with the pair deciding between themselves who will step up to take them.
Pogba had his penalty saved by Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio in the 1-1 draw last night, just a week after Rashford scored from the spot in the 4-0 win over Chelsea. Solskjaer explained the decision after the game:
“The two of them are designated penalty takers, it’s up to them there and then. Sometimes players just feel they are confident to score. Paul has scored so many for us and today it was a good save.”
Supporters on Twitter believe it is weak management from the United boss, and they want him to make sure he has a designated number one penalty taker in future:
Car crash leadership.
— Gearoid (@gearoidwalsh) 19 August 2019
What utter nonsense
— abhishek mehan (@mehanabhi41) 19 August 2019
Rash scored last week so there is no debate
— Mateusz (@mateeusz12) 19 August 2019
I hope he’s just saying this for the press. Pogba is a fantastic player but it’s clear that he’s terrible at penalties. Rashford should obviously be the designated taker from now on.
— Opeyemi (@ope_fash) 19 August 2019
Really? its up to them? no its up to you as the manager. Rashford has been banging his penalties lately so Rashford should be the obvious choice to pick. that’s just awful management
— A. (@Audriccccc) 19 August 2019
As a manager he has to decide the order of penalty takers otherwise you create chaos and power amongst players. I back Ole 100% but that’s amateurish from him and showing his time in a managerial position
— Craig Gapper (@Gapper_Drums) 19 August 2019
Bad management
— ? (@hadesoftheopera) 20 August 2019
You decide Oleee
— Clinton Chow (@ClintonChow7) 19 August 2019
Should only be 1 especially when there’s significant differences in their recently pens
— Sean Mullin (@SeanMullin2) 19 August 2019
That doesn’t seem right.
— Reppin’ Utd? (@ReppinUnited) 19 August 2019
Pogba’s record from penalties isn’t great, and while he regularly took spot-kicks last season for United, this latest miss may prompt a rethink about who takes them. Rashford seems to be excellent under pressure, considering he scored a vital one against PSG in the Champions League last season, so it would be a sensible move if he was given the responsibility full time.