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."
LONDON (AFP) - Maurizio Sarri warned his Chelsea stars to improve their mentality after Willian's sublime strike sealed a hard-fought 2-1 win over struggling Newcastle on Saturday (Jan 12).. Read
Willian gem sinks Newcastle as Chelsea cement fourth place
Rangers crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday after falling 1-0 at Rapid Vienna, while crowd trouble sparked by Eintracht Frankfurt fans marred the German side's win at Lazio. Steven Gerrard's Rangers, who had to win in Vienna in their final group game in order to qualify for the last 32
Football: AC Milan out of Europe as Eintracht fans run riot
Arsenal manager Unai Emery was fined £8,000 on Monday but avoided a touchline ban for kicking a plastic bottle at a Brighton supporter. Football news - Arsenal's Unai Emery fined for kicking
Unai Emery: Arsenal boss fined £8,000 by FA for kicking water
Belgium are top of the FIFA rankings but that hasn't always been the case. Read on to find out every major nation's highest and lowest position.
England rise to sixth in Fifa rankings after World Cup run
Malta were happy to sit back on the edge of their area and defend for most of the game, but the visitors found a way through in the 31st minute when Morata latched onto a long ball and sent his
Alvaro Morata double helps much-changed Spain ease past Malta
The metropolis is extremely well-liked by fanatics and it's Mexico's most widely used place for game doing some fishing. Surrounding wild animals refuge hosts over 300 kinds of birds, 50 species of animals and amphibians and most 30 types of creatures -- species which a visitor to your site may not normally visit in such an enchanting placing.
Online Shopping: Shop the Official HSN Site | HSN
Black Ops 4 Zombies BLIND - Insane Pack-a-Punch & Thors Hammer! (IX Gladiator Arena Zombies Map)
Mauls and Back Out Punches | The Hammer Source
MILAN (AFP) - Rising Italy star Moise Kean was targeted by racist abuse after he scored for Juventus on Tuesday (April 2) - but teammate Leonardo Bonucci blamed him for inciting the crowd at Cagliari.
Football: Kean scores for Juventus despite racial abuse but
WRAPUP 2-Soccer-Spurs beaten for first time in new stadium; Saints stay up. * First defeat for Spurs in their new stadium Southampton guaranteed their survival with a thrilling 3-3 home
Spurs beaten for first time in new stadium; Saints stay up
Man City fans fear another nightmare after shock change for Liverpool clash Man City fans have been left scratching their heads as Pep Guardiola has named an interesting starting XI for what could prove to be the most important game of the season for his team.
Premier League - Footy Fans - Latest football news
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea secured a top-four spot in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Watford on Sunday after two goals in a three-minute span helped the club to clinch a return to the Champions League. The win, coupled with Arsenal and Manchester United both being held to 1-1 draws, means
Tottenham 4-0 Huddersfield: Spurs go third with win over
"I'm not happy to play the second role. That's why I said next year I will need to have a more important role to play in the team." When asked whether he has already had offers to go elsewhere, Giroud added: "Yes but I won't reveal that now. The priority is Chelsea.
Giroud demands important role at Chelsea next season
0 comments:
Post a Comment