Ole could give Od the nod in Bridge battle
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested Odion Ighalo will start on the bench for United at Chelsea on Monday night.
The striker joined the Reds from Shanghai Shenhua on loan until the end of the season on deadline day, but did not travel with the rest of the squad to their warm weather training camp in Marbella.
United were concerned the Nigeria international could be denied re-entry to the United Kingdom over the Coronavirus outbreak in China.
The squad only returned to
Manchester yesterday and are due to have a rest day today before a final training session at their Carrington training complex tomorrow, when Ighalo could be introduced to his new team-mates.
United are expected to travel to London tomorrow afternoon and the 30-year-old could make his debut off the bench at Stamford Bridge.
“I never said he was going to be ready to play on Monday,” Solskjaer said. “He’ll be involved with us and he’ll travel down with us.
“Now he’s out of that two-week (isolation) period – a precaution we made. He’ll travel with us and let’s see if he’s involved or not. We’ve kept in touch with him and, of course, we’ve done our own programme, he’s done his.
“It was always going to be a case of him having to integrate to the group, anyway, having been out in China and he needs to get used to the players and the team and up to speed as quick as he can.
“But he’s been working really hard, I think he’s probably pinching himself at times, because he’s now at his favourite club at the age of 30.
“But he’s earned that and, hopefully, he’ll impress us so we can see him play.
“The injury Marcus Rashford suffered, we needed another forward and when we got the chance to get Odion on a loan that was, for us, a goalscorer, top scorer Africa Cup of Nations last year. We thought, yeah, he can help the club.
“He’s a very professional player, a good lad and will give something to the group.”
Solskjaer, who emerged off the bench on his United debut to equalise against Blackburn Rovers in 1996. downplayed concerns over Ighalo’s lack of training time with the rest of the squad.
“I didn’t have to have a training session to come on and do something,” Solskjaer added. “As a striker, you get thrown on and do what you can.
“And it might be he’ll have to come off the bench and give us a goal and he does whatever he’s always done.”
Solskjaer believes Ighalo will offer United a different approach up front, referring back to the goalless draw with Wolves. “There’ll always be questions when there’s a 0-0 if you don’t score,” he said. “We were playing against a very, very good side as well, Anthony (Martial) played loads of games, Mason (Greenwood) played loads of games, we lacked that little bit of spark, Bruno (Fernandes) was just new into the group.
“But Odion – adding him will give us a different type of striker and it
I never said he was going to be ready to play on Monday – he’ll travel down with us
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Odion Ighalo
gives us a chance in games to rest Anthony or Mason, maybe play in a different way.
“To sign Odion wasn’t just on the back of those results. Wolverhampton didn’t score against us in three games, either and we all know they’re a good team.”
Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba, meanwhile, will not be ready to face Chelsea.
McTominay, 23, has been sidelined since the 4-1 win over Newcastle United on Boxing Day with knee ligament damage and Pogba, 26, has not played since the same date with an ankle problem.
McTominay, Axel Tuanzebe and Timothy Fosu-Mensah travelled with the United squad to Marbella for their warm weather training camp but mainly trained away from the group.
Solskjaer said on January 1 Pogba, who underwent surgery on his ankle, would be out for ‘three or four weeks’ but the Frenchman has been out for more than six already.
“Don’t think we’ll get anyone back for the Chelsea game ready,” Solskjaer said.
“Scotty, Axel, Tim, they didn’t join too much so are not ready to play in that game. And Paul is not ready, of course.”
Nemanja Matic is available again after serving a one-match suspension in the goalless draw with Wolves.