Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not the next Jurgen Klopp, it's a big problem for United

Jurgen Klopp was supposed to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's template, but thought he could replicate what he attributed more to faith than reason.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp face off on Sunday.

Sir Alex Ferguson used to be a prime example when arguing why the coach needed more time, as it took him three and a half years to win his first trophy at Manchester United. Now, Jurgen Klopp is being held up as a template.

Like Solskjaer, the Liverpool boss has found nothing in his first two full seasons in charge. In fact, as Gary Neville noted at the Rugby Evening on Monday in August, their record during that time was "almost accurate in terms of performance".

"The most important thing is what happens next," Neville said. "I believe the team behind Manchester United, the board, is looking at it and saying, 'He's building something.'" That's what Jürgen Klopp has done at Liverpool in his first three seasons'. ”

So far, the defense of Solskjaer has not taken long. Klopp brought the Champions League trophy back to Anfield in his third full season and scored 97 points in the Premier League, with Liverpool having only been beaten once. United have lost two of their last three games.

Hopefully, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can take the next step at Manchester United, thanks more to faith than reason. Ferguson's pedigree is clear, having conquered Europe with Aberdeen, winning 10 major trophies and worthy of resources, trust and time.

Klopp has won the title twice at Borussia Dortmund and has taken them to the Champions League final. He came to Liverpool as one of the most respected coaches in European football. There was no reason to question the journey he had taken them on.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn't have that record, so a more convincing case needs to be presented. With eight games into the Premier League season and with strong support in the summer, United are already behind their opponents and desperate for evidence of progress.

That's the danger of waiting for the game, the risk of comparing it to Klopp. What would happen if Solskjaer hadn't built up some supporters convincing himself of what he was building? Investing time in a project that does nothing will be a waste of time.

United have won four Premier League games this season, but only one of them has been close to convincing. Eight games of 14 points may not be enough to keep up with those at the top of the table, but it still makes them feel flattered.

The weaknesses of the midfield are obvious, but the problems are fundamental. While Klopp's key signings have improved the team, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's recent additions have complicated things. Jayden Sancho has been struggling. Cristiano Ronaldo didn't make them a more cohesive side.

It is this apparent lack of philosophy – the great idea that a team can build around – that sets Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United apart from others. This is because, although they will still win the game because of the fear of who they play, they don't win because of how the game is played.

Klopp quickly started his tight game at Liverpool, exhilarating fans even when the team was packed with enough players to win the game. When Mohammed Salah, Virgil van and Allison joined, the trophy followed, but the template was already there.

Guardiola set out to reinvent a City team that needed a new direction, even as their possession game faltered in his first season. Once the defence was organised and City could control the counter-attack, their dominance soon became complete.

Thomas Tuccell immediately committed himself to adopting a 3-4-3 formation at Chelsea, transforming a team known for its defensive vulnerability into what could be the strongest in Europe. Their ability to keep a clean sheet has earned them Champions League glory in four months.

Everyone has an idea and improves it from there. Earlier this week, Klopp agreed that Van Dijk's arrival was crucial to Liverpool's progress. "There's always a basic idea, but the better the players play, the better you can play football," he explains.

But what was Solskjaer's "basic idea" and how long should he be given to implement it? It's an awkward question because that's the quality of Manchester United and there's a limit to how far they can go. Special players will continue to do special things.

Wednesday night's chaotic comeback against Atlanta at Old Trafford proves it. Ronaldo will still score and David de Gea will still be able to make saves that no one else can. But doubts remain – United could be much better than that.

The next six weeks should somehow resolve it. As Solskjaer himself pointed out after the loss to Leicester City, his team has developed a happy habit of digging up results as long as things look bad. The list of fixtures indicates that a solution needs to be addressed.

This round of the Premier League, with only one trip to Watford interrupting a match against five other clubs once known as the Big Six, is sure to affect their season. Even three wins could put them outside the top six by December.

That could lead to an unfavorable comparison with predecessor Jose Mourinho instead of Klopp, as the Portuguese left three 12 months ago – after losing to Liverpool – with United in sixth place. Since then, net spending has exceeded £300 million.

Neville said: "With the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jaydon Sancho and Rafael Varane, recognized world-class talent brings pressure to deliver. "You have to win a trophy in three or four years, and you have players like that."

Solskjaer admitted that although his answer was that he knew United would have to win a trophy "this season or next", it did allow him to buy him before spring 2023. Not only will Ronaldo be 38, but even Varane and Harry Maguire will be 30 by then.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United vision must be formed faster than that. The problem is that nearly three years later, the existence of such a vision is far from clear.