United get last laugh
PHIL JONES says Manchester United are having the last laugh after being written off as a “laughing stock” earlier this term.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were 12 points off fourth but are now favourites for a top-four finish – and for this week’s Champions League tie against PSG.
And Jones, right, said: “Everyone’s going to take us seriously now. We might have been a bit of a laughing stock at the start of the season but certainly not now.
“We’ve proven that in the last 10 or 12 games. We’re improving, still getting better.”
PSG star Neymar will miss the trip to Old Trafford while Edinson Cavani suffered a thigh strain on Saturday and is in serious doubt.
WHILE Ed Woodward and Avram Glazer continue to debate whether to stick or twist, there is an opportunity looming for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to persuade them to tap the poker table this week.
After 11 matches unbeaten, the club hierarchy must decide if Solskjaer is indeed the man to make Manchester United great again, or if that could instead be Mauricio Pochettino, the painstaking team-builder who has Spurs punching above their weight.
But with Neymar out, Edinson Cavani likely to join him and Marco Verratti also doubtful for tomorrow’s Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain, Solskjaer has a real chance to force the hand of his chief executive and co-owner.
What a difference two months make. When United were paired with the French champions in December, Jose Mourinho’s side were stinking out the top flight. Even the most hard-nosed fans feared the PSG tie could be an ugly watch.
Enter Solskjaer. Ten wins from 11, 25 points from a possible 27, a force to be reckoned with in the FA Cup – and now favourites for a top-four place.
Six players were rested at Fulham on Saturday. The result was a workout that will do very nicely before the main event.
Solskjaer will still be wary of PSG, of course, even with their injuries. But United will host the heavyweights with confidence on and off the pitch.
“We are ready,” said Solskjaer. “I went to see PSG against Lyon the other night and they do get competition in France. We should not underestimate the quality of the French League. They will be ready.
“It is unfortunate that Neymar cannot play. When you play against the best teams, you want to play against the players. The crowd want to see the best players. It’s too bad for Old Trafford. I have played a couple of games when we played Real Madrid and Ronaldo and Figo and all those guys were coming to Old Trafford. That gives it an extra edge.”
Solskjaer is on this run because he respects his stars and treats them like men. Players are committing themselves to the club because going to work is fun again.
Ask Anthony Martial, scorer of a wonder goal. Or Paul Pogba, scorer of eight in nine league games under Solskjaer – compared to five in five months under Mourinho.
“It is his joy,” Pogba said of Solskjaer. “He is just himself. He is not acting. He gives joy to everyone, he is giving confidence to everyone, and you can see on the pitch.”
It is easy to imagine Juan Mata speaks for the entire dressing room when he expresses his delight the team’s star man is no longer intent on quitting the club.
“I am happy for Paul,” said Mata. “He is carrying the team and showing what a great midfielder he is, how complete he is. He has everything, and he is showing it on the pitch.”
Forget Fulham. They appeared to be heading down even before United made it six defeats from seven in all competitions. But their fans need to get behind Claudio Ranieri instead of suggesting, as they did vocally on Saturday, that a man who lifted the title with Leicester does not know what he is doing.
FULHAM (3-4-3): Rico 4; Odoi 3, Le Marchand 2, Ream 4; Schurrle 5 (Christie 53, 4), Chambers 6, Seri 5, Bryan 5 (Sessegnon 81); Vietto 4 Mitrovic 5, Babel 5 (Cairney 77). Booked: Bryan, Chambers, Mitrovic. NEXT UP: West Ham (a), Feb 22 PL. MAN UNITED (4-3-3): De Gea 7; Dalot 6, Smalling 7, Jones 7, Shaw 7; Herrera 7 (Bailly 85), Matic 7, Pogba 9 (McTominay 74, 6); Mata 7, Lukaku 7, Martial 8 (Sanchez 70, 6). Booked: Matic, De Gea. Goals: Pogba 14, 65 pen, Martial 23. NEXT UP: PSG (h), tomorrow CL. Ref: P Tierney (Lancashire).