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Press Conference: Solskjaer reveals he does not fear the sack, confirms Pogba will be out of the game and speaks on Mourinho
Manchester United host Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League clash on Wednesday.
Jose Mourinho returns to Old Trafford after one year from his sacking as a Spurs boss, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under huge pressure.
Both teams are looking to close the gap on the top four.
Ahead of the game, United boss Solskjaer faced the press.
First of all, Solskjaer issued early team news.
“We will see how they are,” Solskjaer told the United App of the current injuries. “I am not going to say yes or no. But it is touch and go with a couple, so we will have to give them a training session today and see how they are. Of course, Sunday is also still in people’s heads so it is not going to be a hard session, but we will have a good team out. We have great facilities and people behind the scenes working really hard to get them fit. As I say, we have a couple of knocks and the players that have been out for a little while are touch and go.”
United are currently 9th in the Premier League and Solskjaer was asked, whether he is concerned about form: “We’ve had too many draws for my liking, defeats of course, but draws we should have turned into wins and football is a results business, not happy know we can do better and are working hard, the work is always geared on us improving but we’re not getting all the results we’ve deserved.”
As the Norwegian is under huge pressure at the club, Solskjaer revealed whether he spoke with Ed Woodward.
“We speak all the time so it’s not like knee jerk suddenly now we need to talk, we speak a few times every week so it’s continually progressing, the plans we’ve put in place, the rebuilding we know we started, made some decisions that were necessary and now, of course, we’re not happy where we are but will continue working,” said Solskjaer.
Mourinho returns to Old Trafford: “Very good reception, that’s just a testament to this club and these supporters, remember two and a half years, won trophies, I’m 100 per cent sure our fans, staff ans club will welcome him.”
Solskjaer said that Paul Pogba is not ready and he’s still a bit away but working hard.
The boss was asked how will players react to Mourinho return: “I don’t think whoever manager of opposition team is will change motivation, motivated to do well for Manchester United, they know it’s about improving every day in training and step on that pitch to be part of this long-term, when you put the shirt on you’ve gotta give it your all, the boys are a bit disappointed after Sunday, after the game. But now all eyes are on Wednesday night.”
On Scot McTominay and Nemanja Matic, Solskjaer said: “Touch and go but let’s get this training session out of the window, got more games than this one, can’t look at just the one game, have to look at long-term.”
Solskjaer is not worried about being sacked.
“No it doesn’t make me more concerned, I’m just focusing on my job and that’s doing as well as I can, look forward to next game, look long-term plan things with board. It’s that time of year, never nice to see your colleagues lose your job in a very short space of time, some of them, you can talk about VAR all day long, don’t know reasons about the sackings at different clubs. But one result, Southampton, Watford with the handball, and we’re talking about something completely different. Sometimes you have luck, sometimes you don’t. But it doesn’t make me any more concerned that it is December,” said the Norwegian.
Source- MEN
Standings
England, Premier League