Ole: We must make best of gruelling run of away days
UNITED have no choice but to make the best of a nightmare run of fixtures in October and the start of November, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted.
The Reds are facing six away trips in seven games after they host Arsenal on Monday night, after being drawn away at Chelsea in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
It means United will have four successive away games - and no shortage of travelling to do - with trips to Alkmaar, Newcastle, Belgrade, Norwich, Chelsea and Bournemouth all in the space of four weeks.
The home game sandwiched in between is against tabletopping rivals Liverpool, with Solskjaer reacting to the draw that will see his side travel to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday October 29 or Wednesday October 30.
“It slots nicely into a couple of weeks with lots of travelling,” Solskjaer said.
“That’s how it is. We’ve got to make the best out of it, and I’m sure we will, because that’s the type of group this is and that’s the type of club we are.”
United are yet to win on their travels since that famous Champions League last 16 comeback at Paris SaintGermain in March this year, a run of nine away games without victory.
But they’ll have to break that unwanted record if they’re to progress in the Europa League, with the games at AZ Alkmaar and Partizan Belgrade crucial to their hopes of topping their group. September 30 - Arsenal (H) October 3 - AZ Alkmaar (A) October 6 - Newcastle (A) October 20 - Liverpool (H) October 24 - Partizan Belgrade (A)
October 27 - Norwich (A) October 29 or Weds 30 Chelsea (A) November 2 - B’rnemouth (A) ERLING Braut Haaland has opened up on his relationship with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - and dropped a fresh hint that he’d love to move to the Premier League.
The RB Salzburg striker has been heavily linked with a move to United, after his name was thrust into the spotlight following a Champions League hat-trick versus Genk last week. The young Norwegian scored nine goals for Norway in a 12-0 win over Honduras at the Under-20 World Cup in May, and he has scored 14 goals for RB Salzburg this season.
Haaland has worked with fellow countryman Solskjaer during their time together at Molde and is a huge admirer of the United boss.
“He (Solskjaer) has had a huge impact on my life - both as a person and as a coach,” Haaland told TV2. “He won the Champions League and was an incredibly good player.
“He has taught me a lot. Solskjaer is a fantastic person and a very good coach. He is one of the reasons I am here today.
“I have dreamed of playing for the best clubs in the world my whole life, and I especially like English football.”
With United currently suffering from a crisis up front, with injuries to key striker Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, Haaland’s words may well lead to a clamour from fans for Solskjaer to sign the 19-year-old.
Haaland also spoke about his admiration for former United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He added: “There is something about the way he became good and the way he plays. For me, Zlatan is the best. He is from Scandinavia, so someone has to take over (from) him.”