Midweek match saw the Wales international add to a career-best total as former Manchester United winger Daniel James blasted Leeds just that little closer to the Premier League.
Dan James wasn’t the Red Devils’ best player technically speaking under Solskjaer.
However, James, a £20 million addition from Swansea City, was frequently a permanent fixture on the team sheet when United faced one of the stronger teams in the division, providing a terrifying counterattacking danger because to his blistering pace.
Erik ten Hag’s increasingly stagnant team faced a threat they might have easily avoided when they were boxed in against Man City, where United barely survived before losing 3-1 at a stadium where Solskjaer had won three times.
“There were players whose main strength was counter-attacking, running and digging in,” Solskjaer explains to The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast.
“In previous years, you had players like (Andreas) Pereira, (Dan) James and (Jesse) Lingard that could run all day. And it’s easy to set up a team and beat City away from home.
“We were one of the highest pressing teams before (Cristiano Ronaldo’s return),” the Norwegian adds, his United structure collapsing once the club sacrificed a key cog in the Solskjaer gameplan for an emotional homecoming pursued more with the heart than the head.
“We let Dan James go when Cristiano came in, and they’re two different types of players.”
James’ powerful, although deflected, winning goal in Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over Stoke City brought his 2023–24 goal total to 11, that’s more than twice as high as his finest return to date.
James has already contributed 18 goals across all competitions, as many as he was able to muster in 74 games for the Red Devils.
Where James excelled at Old Trafford in terms of sheer pace, he frequently faltered in execution.
The 26-year-old, who was formerly seen to be somewhat one-dimensional, is now developing a merciless side to his game under Daniel Farke, even if he plays in a lower league.
He is becoming one of the Championship’s most versatile attackers.
Delighted for him…. never got a chance
He could now be doing much better than Antony