The Solskjaer Effect: Manchester United players ranked by rating change
After five straight wins in the league, we assess which players have benefitted most from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival.
Of the 10 players to have started at least three times under the Norwegian, Ashley Young is one of only two players that have suffered a decline in WhoScored rating.
Anthony Martial is the other, in part due to the fact he scored seven goals in Mourinho’s last nine league games in charge.
Luke Shaw’s WhoScored rating has increased, though only marginally and you still get the sense there is a lot more to come from the left-back.
Victor Lindelof has enjoyed a much better second season at United and looked more at ease under Solskjaer after being shifted to his natural right-sided centre-back position.
Ander Herrera’s WhoScored rating has also improved after re-establishing himself in the team under Solskjaer, carrying out all the dirty work to enable the likes of Pogba to flourish.
David De Gea had only kept two clean sheets in 17 league matches under Mourinho, but has matched that tally in Solskjaer’s first five league games particularly excelling in their 1-0 win over Tottenham, making 11 saves.
Nemanja Matic has also looked rejuvenated under Solskjaer, having previously looked leggy under Mourinho. The Serbian’s WhoScored rating improves by 0.80 when comparing his performances under Solskjaer to those under Mourinho.
Jesse Lingard has played a direct hand in four league goals under Solskjaer, having only scored or assisted twice before that under Mourinho.
Solskjaer has made Marcus Rashford the main man since being appointed and the 21-year-old has responded in tremendous fashion, scoring in four of five league starts.
The biggest benefactor of Solskjaer’s appointment has, unsurprisingly, been Paul Pogba. The 25-year-old’s WhoScored rating has remarkably improved by 1.6, having played a direct hand in more than half of the league goals United have scored under their new manager.