HAUL OR NOTHING
Ole: Trophies define greatness and Klopp’s Liverpool side are nowhere near great
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has told Liverpool that they are still 35 miles from greatness.
The Manchester United boss takes his team to Anfield today, looking to become the first manager to take three points off Jurgen Klopp’s runaway leaders. But, while the debate has already started about whether this current Liverpool side is the best of the Premier League era, Solskjaer has his own ideas on what constitutes true greatness. The Norwegian was part of the United side that won a unique 1999 Treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. That same team went on to lift three successive titles – and, for Solskjaer, it is that longevity which defines greatness. Asked whether Ferguson’s men still set the standard, he said: “Yes – but I would say that, wouldn’t I? “Let’s see when the season has finished. We’re just past halfway and there are many games to go. “You look at Liverpool now and they have 33 wins and five draws from the last 38 games – and 104 points make for a decent season. “But to get called a great team? Let’s say they are doing well. “Our (1999) team showed that we, as a squad, could cope with three tournaments and it was an amazing season. “It was an amazing group, in terms of personality and camaraderie. “Liverpool can still win all three, but let’s see. Let’s see in May where they are at. I think the point is that you also have to do it again and again.
“And Sir Alex is still the only manager who has won it three times (in succession). In fact, he’s done that a couple of times.
“Sir Alex had an exceptional way of motivating us and getting us ready. He had a way of winning trophies and then moving forward.
“Yes, Man City have won it twice in a row and it now looks like Liverpool are going to win it – but you still can’t be sure.”
Ferguson might have knocked Liverpool off their domestic perch by bringing 13 Premier League titles to Old Trafford.
But Klopp now seems certain to end Anfield’s 30-year wait for the championship – just 12 months after Liverpool became kings of
Europe for the sixth time. United go into the game a daunting 27 points behind their big rivals.
But they have beaten City, Leicester and Chelsea already this season and were the only team to take points off Liverpool when it needed a late Adam Lallana strike to secure a 1-1 draw for the Merseysiders at Old Trafford in October.
Solskjaer has no doubts that he can build a team capable of once again challenging for the most prestigious honours.
He said: “When I see what these players have, their work rate, the culture we have, then I think we can be successful.
“I certainly don’t think many teams outrun us any more.
“The spirit is there, the players are humble, and they want to improve. That is a great starting point and foundation. “We know we need to sign a few more players – but we can look at Liverpool when Jurgen first took over and I think they finished seventh in his first season.
“This is our first season together and we want to build, step by step and layer by layer.
“If you look at Liverpool now, with Firmino, Salah and Mane, they all understand each other.
“That’s where we want to get to – but that does take time.”