Pogba can lead us to a new era

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has called on Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard to lead a charge which takes Manchester United back to the top of English football.

United can move back into the top four for the first time since the opening week of the season if they beat Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

Solskjaer believes Pogba, below, and Lingard can not only keep them there but inspire a genuine title challenge next year and beyond.

“If you look at the players, the age of them, they’re young and they’ve got plenty of development in them, but we also need some experienced players to step up and become the leaders,” said Solskjaer.

“Paul is now that player – and Jesse. They are at the age where we expect them to take that responsibility and not just be a young boy that floats around. This

team has the ability to win everything. We are too far behind this year, obviously. You’ve got to catch up with the teams ahead of us, especially City and Liverpool but now also Tottenham.

“We have beaten Tottenham so we know we’re capable of that, but we need the consistency. Two years’ time is long enough, but also short enough, to say we’ve got the possibility to make a big difference in our preparation, in everything.

“I came in from Molde, they were 11th in 2010, and in 2011 we won the league, so never say never.” Solskjaer believes trips to relegationthreatened clubs such as Fulham today will provide the litmus test of Pogba, 25, and 26-year-old Lingard’s leadership qualities. “If you want to be a champion it’s how you prepare for every game, it’s about the likes of Fulham,” he said.

“That’s one of the goals we’ve set the players. It has been a fantastic two months but consistency’s now the key.

“Against Leicester we held on and it was good enough but we shouldn’t be happy with ‘just good enough’, we want to improve in games like this.

“Fulham will be a character revealer. Do we have what it takes to focus on what’s important which is the next game? Can we forget about Paris Saint-Germain for now?”

Solskjaer won the manager of the month award for January and Marcus Rashford player of the month.

But arguably defender Phil Jones has landed the biggest prize after becoming the latest in a line of players awarded a new United contract.

His new deal with keep him at the club until summer of 2023 with the option of another year.