Manchester United 0-2 Manchester City: 3 reasons why United lost the game

#3 Fitness issues

Solskjaer set his team up to absorb the City pressure and use the speedy Marcus Rashford and the movement of Jesse Lingard to trouble the City defence on the break. In the earlier stages of the game, United pressed them higher up the pitch and targeted the ageing Vincent Kompany, a tactic that resulted in a booking for the Belgian.

The away side found it difficult to maintain concrete possession, with United players at their heels ready to snatch the ball away and break on the counter.

This early energy, intensity, and enthusiasm soon faded, and they retreated to staying on the edge of their box and seldom pressed the opposition. This could be attributed to the fitness issues of the United players.

Their ex-manager played a different system and was rather content with sitting back and hurting the opposition on the break, while Solskjaer wants his players to press high, run more, and stay on the front foot. However, his players are not accustomed to this new method of play and thus have struggled due to the physical demands of this style of football.

In their embarrassing defeat against Everton, stats showed that the Toffees ran eight kilometres more than Ole’s team. With games coming in thick and fast, there is less time to work on their fitness, and the different aspects that need fine-tuning the implementation of his brand of football, thus contributing to their struggles in recent weeks.