I WISH OLE SUCCESS... TO A POINT
DESPITE my Liverpool loyalties, I think it would be great to see Manchester United stay the pace in the title race.
As long as it all ends with the Premier League trophy remaining at Anfield, of course!
It has been seven years since United were champions – and the only time they really challenged at the top of the table in that time was when they finished 25 points behind Manchester City in 2018.
Now all the talk at Old Trafford is about Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer mounting a tilt for the top this year after a decent run of form.
My belief is that Jurgen Klopp’s team are still the best team in the country and will retain the title.
I think their closest challengers will, indeed, come from Manchester – but it will be the side wearing Sky Blue that will pose the biggest threat because Pep Guardiola (above) will eventually see his men start to fire on all cylinders.
When it comes to the global pull of the Premier League, though, a Liverpool v United face-off would be great for business.
In fact, the only way it could be bettered was if City, Tottenham and Chelsea were also in the mix when it comes to the crunch.
Solskjaer has got United winning again – even though the performances are nowhere near the level produced by the teams of Sir Alex Ferguson’s era. The recent talk is that Ole should be given a new contract, with 18 months left on his current deal.
I am not sure that will be in Ed Woodward’s thinking at this juncture.
I am always wary when a manager is handed a shiny, new contract on the basis of a few decent results.
By the same measure, I always thought it was premature talking about Solskjaer (above) losing his job when United had gone out of the Champions League last month.
It is much too early to talk about United being part of the title race.
It is so tight at the top of the table that a couple of wins can put you right in the thick of it and a couple of defeats can take you back to the periphery.
But the one thing Solskjaer has proved to be a master at is pulling off a result when he most needs it.
He has found a way to win big make-or-break games.
The key from here on in is to maintain some real consistency.
I certainly do not buy into the theory that Mauricio Pochettino’s imminent arrival at Paris Saint-Germain has eased the pressure on Solskjaer.
He is at one of the biggest clubs in the world – and the expectation levels are always sky-high.
And there is always another top-class manager ready to step in to take your job, should the opportunity arise.