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Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Photo: Screengrab)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has told his Manchester United team that their main goal this season should be to get closer to Liverpool FC and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
The Red Devils finished third last season in Solskjaer’s first full campaign in charge, as they secured a return to the Champions League for this season.
However, Manchester United fell far short of the pace in terms of the title last season, with the Red Devils finishing 33 points behind champion Liverpool FC.
The Red Devils haven’t been particularly busy in the summer transfer window so far, as Manchester United have only brought in midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax.
Manchester United were boosted by the signing of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon in the January transfer window as the Portuguese midfielder helped inspire the Red Devils to third place in the Premier League.
Speaking in an interview ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on Saturday, Solskjaer underscored his view that the Red Devils are capable of closing the gap with the top two teams in the league this season.
“The next step is to get closer to the top two teams, let’s see how much of that gap we can close,” Solskjaer said.
“Realistically, the two teams in front of us have been way ahead of the rest, it is a chasing group and we want to be the best of that chasing group and who knows? Crazier things have happened in football.
“We will have to start the league well and be constant. I don’t want to take anything away from this group because we have added some important personalities.
“We have Dean (Henderson) in, you have Donny, Paul (Pogba) is fit now, Bruno (Fernandes) came in and his first game was February 1 or something, so he hasn’t been here long.
“Eric Bailly is back too, he looks fit and really good so we hope we can move on and who’s to say we can’t?”
Manchester United take on Luton Town in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.
They will then return to Premier League action with a trip to face Brighton and Hove Albion at lunchtime on Saturday as they try to get off to a positive start to the new campaign.
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