Man United fans question Solskjaer's neglect of Van de Beek after Carabao Cup exit

The Manchester derby promised to be an action-packed affair, with the blue half of the city lit up after Pep Guardiola's men humiliated the Red Devils on Wednesday. Manchester United were shown the exit door from the Carabao Cup by Manchester City, who now play Tottenham Hotspur for the silverware. Following the defeat, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come under the scanner, with fans questioning his neglect of Donny van de Beek.

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Man United vs Man City: Guardiola's men cruise past hosts 

Man City dominated a major part of the game but failed to achieve the breakthrough until the start of the second half. John Stones put the travelling side ahead in the 50th minute, followed by a late effort from Fernandinho to seal the victory for the Etihad-based outfit. 

Although the two sides played competitive football, Man City players succeeded in converting their chances while the Old Trafford outfit struggled in front of goal. The victory suggests Guardiola's prowess, with the manager having several first-team players unavailable due to several novel coronavirus cases. 

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Fans question Van de Beek playing time under Solskjaer 

Solskjaer has received massive criticism following the defeat and the subsequent exit from the competition. Man United fans went on to slam the Norwegian tactician for his lack of preference for Dutch midfielder Van de Beek. The former Ajax star, who joined the Red Devils only last summer, was introduced in the game only in the 88th minute. 

Van de Beek was touted as a prominent signing as well as the ideal replacement for Paul Pogba if the Frenchman departed anytime soon. But the huge claims have fallen on deaf ears with the Netherlands international yet to cement his spot under Solskjaer's line-up. 

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Solskjaer substitutions raise eyebrows, fans slam his tactics 

Since his move, Van de Beek has managed 19 appearances across all competitions mostly from the bench, amounting to 760 minutes. He has managed to score and assist once each. Fans claim the two-minute stint for Man United vs Man City was an insult for the 23-year-old midfielder, with some also suggesting he should have been introduced after the first half.

Interestingly, Solskjaer has often asserted that Van de Beek needs to maintain patience and wait for his opportunity, but fans were quick to state that several underperforming players are still being picked over the Dutchman, alleging partiality on part of the manager.

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Image courtesy: Donny van de Beek Instagram