OLE’S PLAN FOR DREAM TEAM
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer insists Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes can play in the same United mifielder and says he is excited by the prospect.
With the French World Cup winner not having played since Boxing Day due to an ankle problem, he is yet to line-up alongside the Reds’ January signing.
The enforced break in the season due to the coronavirus pandemic has given Pogba time to get fit and he is expected to be available when the season gets back up and running - most likely some time next month. And boss Solskjaer can’t wait to play the two in his midfield, and see them team up with striker Marcus Rashford who is likely to also be fit to play after his back injury.
When asked about the prospect, he said: “Good players can always play together, so definitely, they can - it’s a big yes.
“I think it’s exciting... we do have an exciting squad. I’ve got Scott (McTominay), Fred, Nemanja (Matic).
“There’s many games coming up and I’m sure we can find a good connection between them. We’ve been discussing that as a coaching team and we’re looking forward to it.
“Of course Bruno coming in, making the impact he made, it was a boost for everyone, the club, supporters and players. Getting Paul and Marcus Rashford back would be fantastic.
“Paul has had a difficult season with injuries and Marcus as well is getting back. So for us, and for them too, this gives them a chance to start on a par or even ahead of other players.
“We’re settled defensively, we want to get more exciting attacking wise, but with Marcus back, Bruno and Paul back, you’d expect us to be more exciting.”
Before the pandemic, United had been linked with summer moves for Jack Grealish, Jadon Sancho and James Maddison. But with uncertainy now over when the transfer window will take place, and how much money clubs will have to spend, the Reds may not move for any of them.
Solskjaer says he is happy with his squad, but that the club will always be looking at ways to improve personnel.
He said: “We’re always looking to improve the squad. This uncertainty in the market now, who knows how football and the market is going to be, but I’m very happy with the squad I’ve got.
“But we’re always looking to improve the squad. “Today’s world is different to what it was two months ago. We’ve got to adjust, adapt, there’s clubs out there struggling more than us financially. “It’s a new world and I think the transfer market this summer will be completely different to what anyone thought it would be.” United look set to return to training on May 18, with the Premier League possibly restarting next month, and Solskjaer confirmed every member of his first-team squad is now back in the UK. Club doctors have been at the Carrington training ground in preparation for the squad returning, with Solskjaer keen for his players to be ready to
Good players can always play together so definitely they can - it’s a big yes
Solskjaer on Pogba and Fernandes
fire right from the off as they look to build on their 11-match unbeaten run. The Reds are also in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, in good shape in the Europa League and have a chance of finishing in the top four of the Premier League.
“We’ve got loads at stake,” Solskjaer said. “We’ve just started to find form, three points behind Chelsea, we’ve got nine games, so we’re hoping to move up the table.
“That’s what we’ve got to do and whenever that starts and we’re going to try to catch them.
“Now, it’s about getting the players together as a group. That’s a strange scenario – we’ve been working in a team environment all these years, you’re used to the connection with the boys, shaking hands, giving them a hug if they need to.
“Now with all this, that’s gone, so that’s my main concern, how we get back and how we’re going to build that environment again.
“We’ve always got this pressure at Man United of trophies, winning the next game. We’ve been through a difficult season, a rebuild, I think everyone knows that and has seen that. And I think we’re starting to see something exciting.
“We’re still in the FA Cup, we’d like to win it, the Europa League we’re still in. Of course we’d like to win trophies. I think the players we have are exciting and they’re getting better and better, most of them are improving.”