Solskjaer makes it five wins in a row
BARCELONA coach Ernesto Valverde said yesterday he was open to staying at the club beyond this season but will wait until the end of the campaign to decide his future, which he added would depend on whether his side win trophies.
Valverde lifted a Liga and Copa del Rey double last year and his side are currently three points clear at the top of the table after 17 games and have reached the last 16 of the Champions League, where they will play Olympique Lyonnais.
Despite those successes, the coach sparked speculation about his future last week by saying in an interview with Barca’s official TV channel that he did not know where he would be next season.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of Barcelona’s trip to Getafe today, Valverde sought to clarify his future, stating that while his contract with the club expires in June his deal contains the option for a third season.
“I have a contract with the club which was two years plus an option, and at the end of the season we have to decide whether I continue or not,” he said. “We will postpone that decision for further down the line, depending on how the season goes.”
Even given his highly impressive domestic record since taking charge of the club in June 2017, Valverde does not enjoy the resounding backing of Barca supporters which predeccessors such as Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique could count on.
He also came in for fierce criticism for the team’s shock elimination from the Champions League to AS Roma in the quarter-finals last season after squandering a 4-1 first-leg lead.
“We are not yet halfway through the season but if things go well I’d be happy to stay, although it’s not only my decision,” added Valverde.
“We all know how management works. If you don’t win things, as has happened before, people start to call for your head. But I feel good here, as I have since the start.”
Meanwhile, Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari is pleased with the progress they have made despite the revival being punctured by Thursday’s 2-2 La Liga draw at Villarreal, emphasising the difficult situation he inherited when he took charge in October.
“Our objective is to keep on climbing the table but we know we had a very difficult start, we have risen from ninth place to fourth,” Solari said yesterday. “We relish the challenge of taking on difficult situations, which is what we’ve been doing. We are happy with how we are doing and have to keep on reducing the gap between us and the leaders.” | Reuters MANCHESTER United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed his fifth successive victory since being named interim manager as his much-changed side beat second-tier strugglers Reading 2-0 at home in the FA Cup third round yesterday.
Juan Mata’s penalty and a welltaken effort in first-half stoppage time by Romelu Lukaku, given his first start since Solskjaer took over, sent United into the fourth round.
It was a subdued performance by the 12-times FA Cup winners at Old Trafford, where Reading impressed, but maintained former United striker Solskjaer’s dream start to life in the hot seat vacated last month by Jose Mourinho who was sacked.
Solskjaer becomes the first United manager to begin his reign with five straight wins since Sir
Matt Busby.
United were joined in the next round by West Ham United who beat second-tier Birmingham City 2-0 at the London Stadium – Samir Nasri making his debut for the Hammers in his first game since completing an 18-month doping ban.
Austrian Marko Arnautovic put West Ham ahead early on but was later substituted because of injury. His replacement, Andy Carroll, struck West Ham’s second in stoppage time. FA CUP
Premier League strugglers Burnley made hard work of a 1-0 win over third-tier Barnsley in a match notable for a bizarre intervention by the video assistant referee (VAR) – the system being used in nine of the 32 third-round ties.
Burnley were awarded a penalty for a foul on Matej Vydra before the interval but just as he was running up to take the spot kick the referee Simon Hooper indicated that the decision had been reversed by
VAR because of an offside in the build-up.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche was left fuming but his mood improved when Chris Wood eventually sealed victory from the penalty spot in the second minute of stoppage time.
Brighton & Hove Albion beat Bournemouth 3-1 away in an all-premier League affair with Anthony Knockaert, Yves Bissouma and Florin Andone all on target.
In the earlier kickoffs, West Bromwich Albion beat 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic 1-0 while third-tier Shrewsbury Town held Stoke City, relegated from the top flight last season, to a 1-1 draw. Sheffield Wednesday and Luton Town drew 0-0.
Cup holders Chelsea were in action later, beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 at home while Arsenal visited Blackpool.
Solskjaer made nine changes to the side that beat Newcastle United in midweek and there was a disjointed feel to his team’s display as Reading matched their illustrious opponents.
Fred, another player to get a rare start, thought he had given United the lead midway through the first half but was flagged offside, although Mata was fouled in the build-up.
Referee Stuart Attwell, helped by VAR, brought play back to award a penalty which Spaniard Mata stroked home.
Reading had chances before and after that with Andy Yiadom and Danny Loader guilty of bad misses, and United were given breathing space when Lukaku latched onto a superb pass by Alexis Sanchez to round keeper Anssi Jaakkola and slot home.
“He has had his time off over Christmas and now he is getting his fitness back,” Solskjaer said of Lukaku.
“He needed the 90 minutes, but I thought he took the ball well with a great pass from Alexis – that’s two (assists) in two (games) for him now he has made which is also a positive.”
The only moment of note in a very disappointing and dour second half was Solskjaer giving a debut to 19-year-old Dutch youngster Tahith Chong.