Premier League rankings: Manchester United analysis, line-up & predicted finish

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said this after Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Huddersfield last season snuffed out any hope of his side qualifying for the Champions League: "The players were running and trying but we were not good enough. That is the problem. There's a chance you have seen the last of some."

TV pundit Gary Neville was apoplectic with rage when discussing his former club. "Ole needs to dismantle this piece by piece," said Neville, going as red as the United shirt. "There is nothing I like about the team. They're just awful."

United finished sixth, obtaining eight points from their last nine matches and showing none of the mid-season enthusiasm when Solskjaer was first appointed as caretaker to replace Jose Mourinho.

The decision to award Solskjaer the job on a permanent basis before the season finished was risky even though the Norwegian had won ten of his opening 12 league matches and by the end of term United's cult hero admitted the Europa League was their rightful current place in Europe's hierarchy.

Since being "not good enough" in Solskjaer's words and "awful" according to Neville, United have failed to sell any senior player with the only major departures being out-of-contract pair Antonio Valencia and Ander Herrera.

Maybe the much-maligned Ed Woodward will save the day late on, although past history suggests otherwise and United have not gone nearly far enough in their attempts to rebuild the squad following the decent signings of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Dan James from Crystal Palace and Swansea respectively.

However, sweeping changes were supposed to be a priority.

United were not in the top four for points gained, total wins, fewest losses, goals scored or goals conceded in 2018-19. Indeed, they ranked 11th on the defending front so it is no wonder that Harry Maguire is their leading transfer target after shipping 54 goals last season.

Midfielder Paul Pogba topped their goalscoring and assist lists in 2018-19 and is their best outfield player but for many observers he is also the biggest problem – figure that out?

Good luck Ole.

Possible team (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Matic, Pogba; James, Lingard, Martial; Rashford

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