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OFFENSIVE BEFORE THE RIVAL MATCH: Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Manchester United will be visited by Manchester City on Saturday night. Photo: Clive Brunskill / PA Wire
The pressure has mounted on Ole Gunnar Solsjær (47) ahead of Saturday’s derby against Manchester City, following a nasty exit from the Champions League in Germany.
Kristiansunderen is in a particularly important work week. The 2-3 loss to RB Leipzig on Tuesday, which sent the club out of the Champions League, raised the voices of critics. Again.
– There is always pressure on you when you are the manager of Manchester United. That was something I had to think about when I took the job. Do I have what it takes to be in such a situation? Can You Handle Recessions? Can you handle success? I think I can, says the Manchester United manager at a press conference ahead of the deal at Old Trafford against rival City.
A further explosion in the Manchester derby will further increase the pressure on the Norwegian, who undoubtedly have four consecutive league wins and are one point ahead of City. Manchester United are five points clear of league leaders Tottenham, and Liverpool, with a match to spare.
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He has regularly blown hard around Solskjær and its future, especially as Mauricio Pochettino does not yet have a manager position and will be chronically connected as Solskjær’s successor.
Now it is the departure of the Champions League that has triggered a new mini-crisis.
But now an offensive Solskjær is talking about Manchester United being able to win the league this season. United are five points behind Tottenham, with a game to spare, and one point ahead of neighboring City, with the same number of games.
GOOD HUMOR: Ole Gunnar Solskjær (left) and Pep Guardiola cut a talk at Etihad in December last year. Solskjær and Manchester United won league games last season. Photo: PETER POWELL / EPA
Believe in the gold fight
– There is always a focus on winning and improving. Manchester United should always have the ambition to win trophies. The last three seasons there have been two teams that have been way ahead of the rest. But since the new year, this team has improved, and I think we can help to fight, says Solskjær, adding: – It is clear that we have to improve from last season, but I don’t think any team will leave this season.
Since landing the job permanently in March 2019, the team has had its own ability to win key matches when it really comes down to weak periods.
More recently, it was the away win against PSG in October, and a year ago Tottenham and Manchester City were beaten in three days. Now a good result against Manchester City will give the Norwegian manager the long-awaited “peace of mind”.
KEY MAN: Bruno Fernandes has been very important to Manchester United in recent months. This photo is after the meeting with Bournemouth in July. Photograph: PETER POWELL / X06528
Solid stats
At least he has the statistics on his side against City and coach Pep Guardiola, with three wins and two losses. They lost 0-2 at home in April 2019, but won the last two league games: away in December 2019 and at home in March 2020.
They won one match each in the league cup semi-finals in January, when City reached the final with overall victory.
– Do you know why the coaches have not done well against Pep’s team? That’s because he has a great team and he’s a great coach. It’s not me who has good results against him, it’s my players and my team. My support apparatus too, because we sit down together and plan for the right path. We have had the margins with us in previous meetings with City, says Solskjær.
Premier league
- Champions League
- European league
- Decline
