Ian Wright Questions Why Five United Players Are Not Being Picked By Solskjaer

Ian Wright Questions Why Five United Players Are Not Being Picked By Solskjaer

BBC pundit Ian Wright has raised serious questions about Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s recent team selections.

Underperforming players have retained their places in the starting eleven over the past few weeks while others have been overlooked. Wright says that the likes of Eric Bailly, Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Jesse Lingard should feel hard done by, whilst he is also concerned by the absence of Paul Pogba:

“I’m hearing that Harry Maguire’s not fit enough right now but he’s still playing when you’ve got Eric Bailly there. You’ve got Donny van de Beek. Jadon Sancho cost £70m, I know he maybe wasn’t fit at the start of the season but that guy has been brought in to create chances and to play on the right-hand side, which doesn’t work anywhere near as effectively as the left. But he can’t get a game.”


“Paul Pogba is still the highest assister in the Premier League, he can’t get a game. So you think to yourself, ‘what the hell is going on and how long can this continue?’ Jesse Lingard! How’s Jesse Lingard had a season like he had at West Ham and come back and now can’t get into that Manchester United team? He’s one of the best pressers you will see, the man’s killing it for England and killing it for West Ham. Come on man!”

It must be said that Pogba was dropped because of poor form, but Wright does make good points when it comes to the other four players he mentions.

Bailly clearly doesn’t have the trust of his manager as there is no reason to overlook him for a clearly unfit Harry Maguire. Van de Beek has reportedly impressed teammates in training but has barely got a look-in, while Sancho has been played out of position.

When it comes to Lingard, the decision to leave him out is even more baffling, considering he has scored two goals and provided one assist in just 146 minutes of first-team action this campaign.