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Ole Gunnar Solskjær expects an intense match against Leeds, a team that qualifies as the fittest in the Premier League. “We know it will be a running game because Leeds are so fit that they will challenge us and push us to the limit,” said the Manchester United manager.
As a player, Solskjær was not often booked, but received two cautions against Leeds and does not think much has changed in the peculiar rivalry between the two clubs despite the absence of a crowd at Old Trafford on Sunday.
“The reservations were probably justified,” he says. “I didn’t wind up the referees, so they must have been bad tackles. You can always look forward to a competitive game against Leeds and I’m looking forward to seeing my players take on him.
“You have to go head-to-head with Leeds physically to have a chance to get a result against them, then you have to take your chances.”
Solskjær speaks of Leeds as if it hadn’t been out of the Premier League for 16 years, although he is probably right in believing that Marcelo Bielsa’s side will prove to be just as feisty and opinionated as previous incarnations.
As early as day one at Anfield, Leeds didn’t look like relegation material and a third of the way into the season that’s still true. Leeds have been a bit inconsistent but have managed to score goals and score points. Since drawing Arsenal in the first game after the last international break, they have won at Everton, lost to Chelsea and West Ham and then scored five at Newcastle midweek.
Manchester United moved up to sixth place as a result of their victory at Sheffield United, and with a game in hand in most of the clubs around them, they could soon be back in the top four, though Solskjær feels it’s too soon. to talk about title possibilities.
“You have to believe in yourself, but at the same time we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” he says. “Around March we can start discussing where we could end up and hopefully by then we’ll have fans back. It would be absolutely fantastic if we keep winning games and improving. The last game we played at Old Trafford with fans [in March] It was against Manchester City and we won 2-0.
“Our fans are eager to come back and support the team again, and we are just as eager to give them something to believe in.”
