OLE: MY FATE IN PLAYERS’ HANDS Solskjaer reveals key to keeping job
PLAYING TODAY: LEICESTER v MAN UTD KO:
DRESSING room unrest, seven goals conceded inside four days and Liverpool up next – yet Pablo Zabaleta still believes West Ham can finish the season on a high.
The defender has pencilled seventh place in his diary and a possible Europa League spot. Now Zabaleta (above) must convince his team-mates it is possible. Current form suggests he has a hard task.
West Ham were woeful in a 3-0 defeat against Wolves on Tuesday, losing controversial striker Marko Arnautovic (below) with a foot injury on his comeback after a failed move to China, which caused dressing room disquiet.
The defeat came three days after they crashed out of the FA Cup 4-2 to League One’s bottom club AFC Wimbledon.
Manuel Pellegrini’s
Hammers have now lost three on the trot, yet Zabaleta, 34, sees tomorrow night’s home game against league leaders Liverpool as a chance to put things right.
But any loyalty to his former club Manchester City – desperately trying to claw back the Reds’ advantage in the title race – is firmly out of the window.
Zabaleta says: “I am not a Manchester City player now. I am a West Ham player and I just want to win for West Ham.
“Monday is a chance for us to put things right. It will be tough because they are top.
“We’ve been playing really well against the top teams but we’ve failed three or four times to get seventh position.
“That’s something we’ve been talking about – how good it would be to finish seventh and try to play in the Europa League next season.
“Every player has to feel proud to play for West Ham.”
Of the club’s problems he added: “It’s been a tough two weeks. Situations off the field have been creating a bad atmosphere but I am not saying that is the only reason we have lost games.”
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has told the Manchester United players who have done him proud that his future rests in their hands. The 45-year-old Norwegian believes he can continue in his dream job as United boss beyond the end of the season after starting his reign with seven victories and a draw.
Solskjaer bristles at the suggestion he is not a big enough name to be United’s manager on a permanent basis.
And he revealed that he is already working on plans for next year, including transfer targets.
Solskjaer said: “This job is like a wheel spinning round.
“I have to make the players perform better. If I can get the team playing better, get the players to respond to me, see the results get better and show that the playing style is there, then that will be a big plus for me. But this has never been all about me. I’m not here to talk about myself and other so-called big-name managers. “What is a big name? For me, it’s about how you work with the players and work with the club. When I came in, it was about talking to the players about their performances and what we expect from the playing style.
“I knew that if we could get the playing style right, we would get enough points to be in with a shout of the top four towards the end of the season.” If United win the Champions League or finish in the top four, then Solskjaer’s bid for the job will be unstoppable. His impact off the pitch has also been impressive. Anthony
Martial has committed himself to a new five-year contract and talks are ongoing for David De Gea to do the same.