‘After lockdown we’ve stayed at home, we’ve had different routines’: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claims Manchester United’s poor Old Trafford form could be down to no longer staying overnight at nearby Lowry Hotel due to coronavirus restrictions
- Solskjaer believes United’s poor home form could be changes in preparations
- Before lockdown, the squad would meet at a hotel and travel to Old Trafford
- Now players remain at their home and make their own way to the stadium
- The Man United boss alluded to this as they boast a perfect away record
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes their poor home form may be down to changes in their preparations caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Before lockdown the United team would meet at the Lowry Hotel in Salford for their team meeting the night before a match at Old Trafford and travel to the stadium by coach the next day.
However, under the new restrictions enforced by the UK government, the players remain at their homes and make their own way to the ground on a match day.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes poor home form is down to changes in pre-match preparations
Before lockdown the United team would meet at the Lowry Hotel the night before home games
For away games, the squad will stay in a hotel overnight together and travel as one, much like they did for home games before the pandemic.
Solskjaer’s side have lost both of their home matches so far this season whilst boasting a perfect away record in all competitions.
Ahead of their home tie against Chelsea, Solskjaer alluded to the fact that their preparations could be the reason for their poor home form.
‘We need to look at the way we prepare,’ said the United boss. ‘Maybe it’s something I’ve got to deal with.
United boast a perfect away record so far this season despite not doing well at Old Trafford
‘The whole lockdown period has made us do things differently at home so we might have to do it in a different way.
‘After the lockdown with Covid, we’ve stayed at home, we’ve had different routines coming into games.
‘I’ve just got to look at everything, how the players prepare, because it’s been noticeable how well we’ve done away from home.’
Crystal Palace beat the Red Devils in their first home match of the season before they were embarrassed by Tottenham in a 6-1 thrashing at Old Trafford.
