Ole Gunnar Solskjaer slumped to his first defeat as Manchester United as his side were unable to cope with Paris Saint-Germain’s superior tactics in a 2-0 home loss.

The result leaves United’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League quarter-finals hanging by a thread, as Solskjaer’s side put in a surprisingly listless display, conceding twice in seven minutes, with Pascal Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe getting the goals.

Solskjaer’s tactics go under the scanner as we put the United manager in focus after the disappointing performance.

KEY STATS

Goals – 0

Shots – 10

Shots on target – 1

Possession – 44%

Passing Accuracy – 84%

Key Passes – 8

Dribbles – 9

30-SECOND REPORT

Solskjaer opted for the 4-3-3 that has become his first choice, with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Jesse Lingard forming the front three.

The United manager no doubt expected a game similar to January’s win over Tottenham, where Lingard’s pressing and Paul Pogba’s midfield brilliance overcame a possession-heavy opponent. Instead, it was United who were picked off on the counter – twice – and Pogba’s late sending off has left Solskjaer’s side with a mountain the size of Everest to climb.

TACTICAL TALKING POINT

Halftime substitutions

Lingard and Martial needing to be replaced at halftime threw a spanner in the works for Solskjaer, but his substitutions weren’t exactly inspiring, as he opted to replace the duo with Alexis Sanchez and Juan Mata.

Sanchez doesn’t have the discipline to play Lingard’s role and disrupt the opponents’ attacks, and Mata, brilliant though he can be, doesn’t offer the pace or trickery of Martial. United visibly dropped off in the second half after the duo’s introduction. Was that Solskjaer’s fatal mistake?

VERDICT

The unbeaten start was bound to end at some point. But like this? With a 2-0 loss that seems to be terminal for United’s Champions League hopes? That will hurt Solskjaer.

He, of course, will stress belief in his team, but no one will expect United to pull off a 3-0 or even a 3-1 win in Paris. More importantly, for the first time, his tactical plans failed, and dealing with that fact will be a new experience for the United manager.

RATING – 6/10