MANCHESTER (AFP) - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted on Tuesday (April 23) that Manchester United will not be capable of competing for the English Premier League title next season in a stark assessment of the current gulf between his side and Wednesday's opponents Manchester City.
United take on City at Old Trafford 22 points behind the reigning champions and 24 adrift of leaders Liverpool, despite coach Solskjaer initially going a dozen league games unbeaten after succeeding the sacked Jose Mourinho.
Last weekend's 4-0 hammering at Everton was the third defeat in their five matches since and the 46-year-old called for patience when asked if he thought his squad was capable of competing for the title next season.
"I don't think we've got the consistency to do that," said the former United striker.
"Over the last 18 games, we're not far away from them but it's doing it over the course of a season.
"We've done it for half a season now. Let's see. You can never say never."
'Realistic'
United were last crowned champions in 2013, and Solskjaer added: "You cannot expect things to happen overnight and we know that. It will happen gradually and we have to be realistic enough as a club that we have to take it step by step.
"That's not changing 10 players now and bringing 10 players in. It's slowly, slowly but surely.
"It has to be the right quality, right personality, the right standards to get us back to where we want to be."
Solskjaer has often spoken at length of the need for his players to take personal pride in playing for one of the world's biggest clubs, and following their recent rotten run of six defeats in eight matches in all competitions, he also said that the pain of falling behind United's two major local rivals was acute.
"For me, the motivation is towards something, to win something yourself," he said.
"We have to want to overtake them, not because it's City and Liverpool. But of course because it's City and Liverpool, for a supporter as I am, and as a manager now as well, because they're so close in the vicinity as well, we want to be the best.
"We have been the best, and it's not nice seeing those two at the top," he admitted.
Solskjaer's emotional post-match response at Goodison Park saw him warn some of his under-performing stars that they will not be at the club long-term.
"I think now is not the time to make drastic changes, but of course we do plan ahead... we know who we want to bring with us," he said.
"There are many of these players who will stay at the club for so many years and be successful, and I'm going to do everything I can to be successful and hopefully these players can come out with a response the next four games.
"But we're still planning long term, and that's just natural. That's the cycle of a team, that it changes."
Former Brunei DPMM striker Rafael Ramazotti has inked a deal to turn out for Hougang United in the Singapore Premier League According to a source close to the club, Ramazotti put pen to paper on Sunday and will arrive in Singapore on Tuesday to begin pre-season training with his new club.
Former S.League Golden Boot Rafael Ramazotti joins PKNS
Liverpool will hope to pile the pressure on Man City by beating Southampton and returning to the top of the Premier League this evening. Live from St. Mary's, Friday Night Football returns to Sky
Liverpool beat Chelsea to return top of Premier League
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will travel with the rest of their squad for their FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and Hove Albion having nearly recovered from a hamstring injury, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
Football Frames | For Football Fanatics
AD
Lucas Moura has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season Lucas Moura scored a brilliant hat-trick as Tottenham cruised past relegated Huddersfield and moved above Chelsea into third in the
Real Madrid's 2019/20 home strip appears to have been leaked through a collection of images which have emerged online - and the design is set to delight Los Blancos fans. The kit features a design
Real Madrid Reportedly Set To Unveil Eden Hazard On Monday
LONDON (REUTERS) - Gylfi Sigurdsson deepened Cardiff City's Premier League relegation fears with two well-taken goals in Everton's 3-0 victory in the Welsh capital on Tuesday (Feb 26).. Read more
Sigurdsson double helps Everton sink Cardiff | Free Malaysia
CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI may be getting overlooked by Maurizio Sarri - but he was sought out by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-0. The 18-year-old once again failed to get some valuable minutes after he was left on the bench, with Davide Zappacosta preferred as a substitute instead.
Gonzalo Higuain flops on PL debut as Chelsea fans boo Sarri
LEICESTER CITY 0 CARDIFF CITY 1. Cardiff earn first away win with late Camarasa strike at Leicester. 3 Min Read. Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Cardiff City - King
Football: Cardiff earn first away win with late Camarasa
sportstons.com/soccer/football-cardiff-earn-first-away-win-with-late-camarasa-strike-at-leicester/
Football: Cardiff earn first away win with late Camarasa strike at Leicester LEICESTER, England (REUTERS) - A 92nd-minute goal from midfielder Victor Camarasa and a penalty save from goalkeeper Neil Etheridge ensured Cardiff City beat Leicester City 1-0 for their first away victory of the Premier League season on Saturday (Dec 29).
Footballl news - Cardiff earn first away win with late
Rescuers ended their search on Thursday for the plane carrying Premier League soccer player Emiliano Sala, which disappeared over the English Channel three days ago, after saying there was little
Football: British rescuers end search for missing plane
Cardiff City captain Sol Bamba dedicated his goal and a 2-1 victory over Southampton to Emiliano Sala after an emotional match for the Welsh club. Saturday's fixtures were the first round of
'Victory and goal for Sala', says Cardiff captain Bamba
'I am so sorry': Pep Guardiola apologises to Watford for offside goal. Pep Guardiola issued an apology to Watford over the award of Manchester City's first goal on Saturday, and admitted that VAR
Pep Guardiola on Raheem Sterling's first goal: 'I'm sorry if
Man City title hopes hit by shock defeat at Newcastle; Pelicans stun Rockets 121-116 Share On; ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 schedule Football. Newcastle stun Manchester City 2-1.
Man City title hopes hit by shock defeat at Newcastle - Man
Football; Barca superstar claims record 5th Golden Shoe. Lionel Messi collected a record fifth Golden Shoe award on Tuesday for finishing last season as the top goalscorer in Europe.
Messi claims record 5th Golden Shoe | The Guardian Nigeria
Give Sarri more time and players: Hasselbaink, Football News
0 comments:
Post a Comment