RUN LIKE HELL

Reds face massive matches against their top four rivals which will make or break season

MANCHESTER UNITED boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits they face a “massive” run of games in their bid to secure a top-four spot.

Three of United’s next four Premier League games are against direct top-four rivals before the international break at the end of the month.

United travel to fifthplaced Chelsea tomorrow, face a trip to runaway leaders Manchester City next weekend and also host inform West Ham, who are currently fourth.

After Chelsea, that brings the Norwegian into direct conflict with (above, from left) Pep Guardiola, David Moyes and AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the Europa League.

Solskjaer’s side have picked up just nine points from a possible 18 to throw open the top-four race, and he is aware of the importance of the upcoming run.

“The three games are massive,” said Solskajer. “We’ve got Chelsea, who are just behind us, and we’ve got City away, who are in front of us.

“Of course we can’t let them run further away if we have ambitions of catching them and we can’t give Chelsea too much hope of catching us either. Every game is important and now until the international break will be a big period.

“We always say look at April and May to see how we are then, so let’s get to the international break and then we can focus on the run-in.”

Solskjaer turned to youth in the midweek Europa tie against Real Sociedad when there was a glimpse of the future in 17-year-old Shola Shoretire (above).

But he will rely heavily on experience in the Premier League, convinced the topfour race will go down to the wire, just like last season, when United beat Leicester 2-0 away on the final day to secure a Champions League spot at the Foxes’ expense.

“I think it’s going to be a long run-in,” said Solskjaer. “I don’t think the positions will be decided early.

“For me, every game is massive.

“We know how difficult Chelsea is going to be and how important that’s going to be for us.

“It’s still 38 games for every team, although if you get a run, good or bad, it might impact you as a group and the culture.

“For us, bouncing back after a couple of setbacks we’ve had, it’s an important period. Our mentality is really good and we look forward to these games.”

United did the double over Chelsea last season, as well as beating them in the EFL Cup, but Solskjaer knows they are stronger under new boss Thomas Tuchel, who has yet to lose a game.

He said: “Thomas has come in and it’s changed a little bit at Chelsea, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us.

“You can see the results, the stats, the possession they’ve had, they keep teams away from their own goal and keep possession.

“Hopefully we can stop that run, that’s my job now.”