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Under-fire Ole Gunnar Solskjaer declined to comment on his future after Manchester United\u2019s Premier League problems were compounded by a shock Champions League loss to Istanbul Basaksehir.<\/p>\nUnder-fire Ole Gunnar Solskjaer declined to comment on his future after Manchester United\u2019s Premier League problems were compounded by a shock Champions League loss to Istanbul Basaksehir.<\/p>\n
With the stuttering Red Devils sat 15th in the Premier League, their impressive return to European football\u2019s top table has provided much-needed positivity.<\/p>\n
United followed the deserved 2-1 victory at last season\u2019s Champions League finalists Paris St Germain by stunning RB Leipzig 5-0, but it does not take long for pressure to ratchet up at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
Solskjaer knows about those expectations better than anyone and faces increasing scrutiny after Sunday\u2019s uninspiring 1-0 home loss to Arsenal was followed up by a chastening 2-1 defeat at Istanbul Basaksehir.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last two results have been a punch in our stomach,\u201d the United boss said after the Group H clash in Turkey.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only way I know of \u2013 well, I hope the players as well \u2013 to respond is to get your act together for the Everton game.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause we know that\u2019s going to be a tough and difficult game, so I\u2019m glad we\u2019ve got a game already on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cDisappointed with the result. Of course we picked a team to win the game and we hoped that we had enough to create chances. We just didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmotion doesn\u2019t really matter, the emotions, the feelings. I think you can expect or think yourself how we feel after we lose. That\u2019s not something we go out to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saturday lunchtime\u2019s trip to Goodison Park looks set to be a huge match for United ahead of the international break.<\/p>\n
Furious former skipper Roy Keane claimed there was a lack of leadership and heart in the loss to Arsenal when he also warned that the current crop of players could get Solskjaer sacked.<\/p>\n
Asked if he feared for his job at this stage, United boss Solskjaer laughed and then said: \u201cYou know, I decline to comment on such a thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course it\u2019s early on and, you know, opinions are out there all the time. You\u2019ve got to stay strong.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m employed by the club to do a job and I do that to the best of my ability with our staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Solskjaer has led United to some memorable results since replacing Jose Mourinho \u2013 initially on a temporary basis \u2013 in December 2018, but the manner of Wednesday\u2019s defeat was as jarring as the result itself.<\/p>\n
The Norwegian called the inexplicable lack of organization and awareness for Demba Ba\u2019s opener \u201cunforgivable\u201d, while more lackluster defending gave Basaksehir skipper Edin Visca the chance to double their advantage.<\/p>\n
Anthony Martial pulled one back before the break but United could not eke out a leveler, with Alexandru Epureanu clearing off the line in stoppage-time to seal a famous first-ever Champions League group stage win for the hosts.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying a short corner and everyone forgets to get back with the players they\u2019re playing against and Demba Ba snuck in behind us,\u201d Solskjaer said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLack of communication and lack of good decisions. You don\u2019t really see them goals at this level. We shouldn\u2019t concede easy goals like this.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know how hard it is to create goals and create chances and when you give easy and soft goals like the two we have done here today it makes it a lot harder.\u201d<\/p>\n