Two good, one bad: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s decisions examined in late win

Manchester United were involved in yet another dramatic afternoon as they stole all three points against West Ham in the final minutes of the game.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were impressive in the first half, with Cristiano Ronaldo cancelling out Said Benrahma’s deflected strike.

The second half was far more even and United were made to wait until the 89th minute before they found a way past David Moyes’ resilient West Ham side.

Jesse Lingard redeemed himself for that error against Young Boys with a beautiful curler before David de Gea stole all the headlines with a last-minute penalty save.

Solskjaer came under heavy scrutiny for his game management against Young Boys but the Norwegian boss proved his worth with some of his decisions on Sunday. Stretty News examines them below.

Substitutions were key
At times, the substitutions in Switzerland were perplexing. A change of shape at half-time did little to keep Young Boys’ pressure at arm’s length. Against West Ham, the introductions of Nemanja Matic and Lingard were key to the victory. The pair combined to score United’s winner, with the latter justifying his place in the squad.

It would have been easy to take Lingard out of the side following his error in midweek but his faith in the 28-year-old was immediately justified.

Read more: Jesse Lingard redeems himself: Player ratings: West Ham 1-2 Manchester United

Recalling Raphael Varane to the team
The four-time Champions League winner was excluded from the line-up which lost against Young Boys but the Frenchman made a return to the site in London.

Varane proved his worth once again and emerged out of the game as one of United’s best performers. The 28-year-old is assuring with the ball and offered United the chance to play further up the pitch. Ultimately, the decision to play him will go down as a vital decision by the manager.

Diogo Dalot deserved his chance
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s dismissal against Young Boys offered Dalot the chance to revive his Manchester United career. There were mitigating circumstances in Switzerland but still, the Portugal international certainly did alright.

Solskjaer’s pursuit of Kieran Trippier showed that he’s keen to add competition at right-back and Dalot’s impressive loan spell at AC Milan is enough to justify a run in the team.

Dalot offers the kind of attacking output the current custodian of the position doesn’t and although Wan-Bissaka wasn’t poor against West Ham, he left a lot to be desired in the final third. Dalot is likely to play in United’s league cup fixture against West Ham next week. Whether he seizes the opportunity or lets it slip could determine his future at the club.

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