Man Utd might already have the solution to one of their biggest problems
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After watching Bayern Munich embarrass Tottenham in their own back yard on Tuesday night, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be forgiven for sighing in relief while reflecting on Manchester United's failure to stumble into the Champions League in May.
European Cup qualification was still a mathematical possibility for United up until the final whistle in their penultimate game of the 2018-19 season.
The 1-1 draw with Huddersfield in West Yorkshire consigned Solskjaer's charges to the Europa League and spared them potential humiliations at the hands of the continent's elite.
As disappointing as United's campaign has been thus far, they are the favourites to win in Alkmaar on Thursday night and it will be deemed a failure if they do not sit atop Group L come December 12.
By the same measure, though, you would not be surprised to see United struggle across the North Sea.
United have averaged less than a goal a game since the memorable March win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Parc des Princes and only five players have found the net this season.
Daniel James and Marcus Rashford are United's joint-top scorers with three goals each, while Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood have both netted twice.
Up until Scott McTominay's firecracker against Arsenal, no midfielder had scored a goal for United since the Scot's fortuitous strike in that draw with Huddersfield five months ago.
It is no secret that this is a United team lacking in goals up front, especially since proven marksman Romelu Lukaku departed for Inter Milan, and it does not help that Solskjaer does not have any midfielders capable of making up the shortfall.
Paul Pogba top scored for United last season with 16 goals but he has not netted from open play since February, while Fred, Nemanja Matic and Andreas Pereira have managed just six goals between them during their United careers.
Solskjaer has been true to his word with his commitment to blooding academy youngsters at the beginning of this season; Mason Greenwood, Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes and Brandon Williams have all featured for the first team - but one player who is yet to play is James Garner.
The 18-year-old central midfielder continued his fine start to the campaign for Neil Wood's Under-23 side on Tuesday night, scoring the only goal of the game as United made it two wins from two in the EFL Trophy away to Lincoln City.
The goal was Garner's sixth in seven appearances at the beginning of the new season and was another indication to Solskjaer that he is ready to make the step up to the first team.
Garner travelled to the Netherlands with the first-team squad on Wednesday morning a little over 12 hours after his decisive strike in Lincoln.
He played the full 90 minutes at Sincil Bank so a start against Alkmaar seems unlikely, but he is certainly due some minutes in the first team and could soon be making his way up the pecking order given the lack of quality currently ahead of him.
After watching Bayern Munich embarrass Tottenham in their own back yard on Tuesday night, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be forgiven for sighing in relief while reflecting on Manchester United's failure to stumble into the Champions League in May.
European Cup qualification was still a mathematical possibility for United up until the final whistle in their penultimate game of the 2018-19 season.
The 1-1 draw with Huddersfield in West Yorkshire consigned Solskjaer's charges to the Europa League and spared them potential humiliations at the hands of the continent's elite.
As disappointing as United's campaign has been thus far, they are the favourites to win in Alkmaar on Thursday night and it will be deemed a failure if they do not sit atop Group L come December 12.
By the same measure, though, you would not be surprised to see United struggle across the North Sea.
United have averaged less than a goal a game since the memorable March win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Parc des Princes and only five players have found the net this season.
Daniel James and Marcus Rashford are United's joint-top scorers with three goals each, while Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood have both netted twice.
Up until Scott McTominay's firecracker against Arsenal, no midfielder had scored a goal for United since the Scot's fortuitous strike in that draw with Huddersfield five months ago.
It is no secret that this is a United team lacking in goals up front, especially since proven marksman Romelu Lukaku departed for Inter Milan, and it does not help that Solskjaer does not have any midfielders capable of making up the shortfall.
Paul Pogba top scored for United last season with 16 goals but he has not netted from open play since February, while Fred, Nemanja Matic and Andreas Pereira have managed just six goals between them during their United careers.
Solskjaer has been true to his word with his commitment to blooding academy youngsters at the beginning of this season; Mason Greenwood, Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes and Brandon Williams have all featured for the first team - but one player who is yet to play is James Garner.
The 18-year-old central midfielder continued his fine start to the campaign for Neil Wood's Under-23 side on Tuesday night, scoring the only goal of the game as United made it two wins from two in the EFL Trophy away to Lincoln City.
The goal was Garner's sixth in seven appearances at the beginning of the new season and was another indication to Solskjaer that he is ready to make the step up to the first team.
Garner travelled to the Netherlands with the first-team squad on Wednesday morning a little over 12 hours after his decisive strike in Lincoln.
He played the full 90 minutes at Sincil Bank so a start against Alkmaar seems unlikely, but he is certainly due some minutes in the first team and could soon be making his way up the pecking order given the lack of quality currently ahead of him.
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