Ole: I have to take care of my players
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer would prefer to name an unchanged United side against Bournemouth but admits he has to look after the fitness of his players.
The Reds have won their last two Premier League games 3-0, against Sheffield United and Brighton, and if the manager names an unchanged line-up for the third league game running it will be the first time the club have done so since
October and November 2006. Bournemouth are second from bottom and United have had the benefit of a four-day gap between their midweek and weekend matches, but unnamed players picked up knocks in the Tuesday night victory at Brighton.
“I’ve got to wait and see,” Solskjaer said when asked about his team selection.
“There are a couple that got some knocks and bruises, if there are a couple of changes don’t be surprised just because of fitness. But there are also so many games. I’ve got to look after the players.
“It would be nice to play a team that performed so well against Sheffield United at Old Trafford last time and played so well against Brighton, but let’s wait and see how everyone is after training.
“I’ve got many, many reasons to play the same team but I’ve also got a few reasons to rotate one or two that played so well earlier in the season.”
United lost at Bournemouth in November in one of just seven league wins Eddie Howe’s side have enjoyed this season. Despite the expectation of a comfortable home win, Solskjaer says United’s run-in could reinforce their focus.
“I’ve seen lots of quotes we have an easy run-in but the next five games: Bournemouth we lost, Aston Villa we drew with them at home at Old Trafford, Southampton; we drew with, we
lost to Crystal Palace and we lost to West Ham.
“They are teams we’ve got a point to prove against and we know we have to improve on last performances against them.
“So no, it’s not an easy game, it’s the same answer, what anyone else thinks doesn’t matter. To win a game of football we’ll have to perform.
“Bournemouth are struggling and fighting against relegation, it’s not a nice place to be in but will come here and fight for points. They’re one of the best teams in the league on set-plays, we know that - they scored against us at Old Trafford last year on a set-play.
“So we know we have to stop quite a few things with them. But then again, if we play to our best we should create chances and win the game.”
Solskjaer has been in charge of United for more than 18 months and has an excellent track record in the transfer market with incomings and outgoings. The United manager says he never worried about his position at the club after four wins from the first 14 Premier League games this season.
“If you’re worried about what others write about you, think about you, say about you, you shouldn’t be in this job,” he added. “What I feel doesn’t really matter.
“What I do – with the coaching staff, with the club – is try to improve us, I don’t need anyone to say that’s the right thing or the wrong thing. It’s just about the next game.
“I believe in a certain way of managing the club, managing the players and staff, and I’m just doing what I think is right and that’s what I’ve done, more or less, all my life working in football. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.”