Reds face Zlatan showdown
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer is looking forward to a reunion with Zlatan Ibrahimovic after United were paired with AC Milan in the last 16 of the Europa League.
The Serie A title challengers will visit Old Trafford on Thursday, March 11, before the return leg in the San Siro a week later, and the clash between two of European football’s heavyweight clubs is probably the toughest draw the Reds could have had at this stage of the competition.
Ibrahimovic hasn’t faced United since he left the club in March 2018.
“Zlatan, of course, I’ve been so impressed, I’ve got to say, by how his career has gone. He had a careerthreatening injury when he was here but came back from that and went to [the] MLS, then came back to Milan and has really lifted them,” said Solskjaer.
“They’re on the up and have done really well this season. I’ve been so impressed by him.
“We do have the tradition of making it hard for ourselves in draws. It’s one of those draws again that you feel could be a Champions League game,” he added.
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer was coy on the prospect of dropping Victor Lindelof for Eric Bailly in United’s Premier League encounter with Chelsea tomorrow.
The pair started together in the goalless Europa League draw with Real Sociedad as captain Harry Maguire was rested for just the second game this season.
Maguire has started in all 62 of United’s Premier League matches since he joined the club in August 2019 and is certain to return at Stamford Bridge, but it remains to be seen whether Solskjaer sticks with Lindelof.
The Swede, 26, has only been dropped for Bailly once this season in the 6-1 trouncing by Tottenham in October - and Solskjaer’s reliance on him has been repeatedly questioned.
The brittle Bailly, 26, went two months without playing earlier in the campaign but has excelled since his comeback in the Carabao Cup at Everton just before Christmas.
Bailly has started just six times in the league this term but impressed in the 2-0 league win at Chelsea last year when Lindelof was absent with a back injury.
“Both of them played well tonight,” Solskjaer said on Thursday. “So Eric and Victor and Harry, three very good centre-backs I rely on and Axel [Tuanzebe] as well, so I have four to choose from, although Axel played in midfield.
“Sometimes it’s the opposition, sometimes it’s the form, sometimes it’s little things and I think the two of them will keep on playing and they might be playing together as well.”
Anthony Martial has mustered
seven goals in 32 appearances for United but is in line to start at Chelsea if Edinson Cavani is still unavailable with a muscular injury.
Martial, 25, has netted three goals in his last two starts at Stamford Bridge and was livelier against Sociedad on Thursday night.
“Anthony knows what we want and Anthony is working really hard to do well for the team and that’s what’s pleasing me every day in training,” Solskjaer explained.
“He’s not going to sit down and wait for things to happen, he knows he will have to make it happen himself and we encourage him and coach him, and we know that he’s got this quality and class.
“Everyone goes through a difficult patch at times and Anthony, I think we saw, is working harder, and that’s the main thing.”