‘Nobody cares about Old Trafford’: Pundit says there is no fear factor under Solskjaer

Talksport pundit and former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan says the ‘fear factor’ at Old Trafford died when Sir Alex Ferguson retired as Manchester United manager.

The Reds were defeated 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, and Old Trafford is no longer seen as a daunting place to go as it was in the days of Sir Alex.

And Jordan thinks that a fear factor cannot be brought back under current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,

“Looking at that performance; there is no fear factor, nobody cares about Old Trafford because that image is gone,” he told Talksport.

“And I don’t think it is going to come back under the stewardship of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer because part of that image, as we know, was best players winning games.

“But also, was this figure at the very head of Manchester United as a football operation which was (Sir Alex) Ferguson. Are you seriously saying to me that the serious times of Man United, with Liverpool and Man City disappearing into the horizon, that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is going to operate at the level that is required? I don’t think so!”

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However, it’s not Solskjaer’s fault that the home ground is no longer seen as a fortress, the stadium had lost it’s fear factor for the opposition through lows under previous managers before the Norwegian got the job.

Solskjaer has inherited a weak squad from Jose Mourinho, that he has only had one transfer window to begin to strengthen.

Old Trafford no longer has the fear for away players because United don’t have the quality of players they once had, and it’s going to take more than one transfer window for Solskjaer to build a team good enough to challenge on all fronts.

United still need at least one central midfielder addition after the summer departure of Ander Herrera, as well as a creative attacking midfielder, with the Reds struggling to create clear-cut chances going forward.

The Reds face Southampton away on Saturday, looking to get back to winning ways after the disappointment against Crystal Palace.

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