“Bloody ridiculous that he’s not starting” - Manchester United fans hail midfielder for impressive cameo despite 4-1 defeat

In Manchester United's 4-1 loss to Watford, Donny van de Beek scored their only goal of the game after coming on as a substitute at halftime. A poor display by the starting side forced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to look to the Dutchman for a breath of fresh air into their play. Notably, before his substitution on the field, Van de Beek had only played 15 minutes of football this season.

There had been earlier reports that Solskjaer would play the former wonderkid in the starting lineup. However, the embattled manager decided to play Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay instead. Manchester United fans were incensed about the decision, demanding that Solskjaer play Donny van de Beek instead:

The Dutchman eventually came onto the pitch on the stroke of half-time and scored a goal to the delight of the United away side. However, he couldn't do much else to stop Harry Maguire's red card from dismantling Manchester United's defense and letting in another two goals in second-half injury time.

Although the loss stung the Manchester United faithful, many were impressed with Donny van de Beek's presence on the pitch, taking to social media to praise the star:

The Dutchman joined Manchester United in 2020 but has failed to enjoy playing time under Solskjaer's management. After yesterday's display, a lot of fans believe he will get more minutes, but they likely won't be under the Norwegian manager who is set to get axed from his post.

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He's passionate: Solskjaer defends Bruno Fernandes after the Manchester United star clashes with fans'

Watford v Manchester United - Premier League

When the Manchester United manager approached the angry United faithful after the torrid affair at Vicarage Road, they were quick to loudly boo him. This seemed to upset Bruno Fernandes, who appeared to suggest blaming the players, rather than the manager, for the shock defeat.

Solskjaer backed the playmaker's actions in the post-match interview, calling him passionate:

"I understand fans who follow the club through thick and thin. They've been fantastic the last few years, it's a difficult period, we've had a hard time since Sir Alex left and fans who've been with us have been unbelievable, understood the situation. I understand, that's their [the fans'] right to show their opinion. Bruno is such a passionate boy and a man and he knows football can change quickly."

The game against Watford turned out to be Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's final game in charge of Manchester United. The club confirmed they had parted ways with the Norwegian in a statement released earlier today.