Solskjaer: I need three more players to fight for the title
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hailed one of the most complete team performances of his Manchester United reign but insisted he still needed three more pedigree signings to turn the team into title contenders.
United’s first league double over Manchester City in a decade kept Solskjaer’s side within three points of Chelsea in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Solskjaer believes United are on an upward curve after seven wins from their past 10 matches in all competitions, during which they have scored 24 goals and conceded just twice, and been boosted by the arrival of the Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
But the United manager says his squad will need further strengthening to be in a position to challenge Liverpool and City’s domestic supremacy in the future – and that they first have to overhaul Leicester City and Chelsea.
“You can see that,” Solskjaer said when asked if it was one of United’s most complete displays under him. “Off the ball defensively we [were] excellent. The counter-attacking was excellent. We would like to keep the ball more and keep them running more but we still created big enough chances to win by more.
“We feel we are improving all the time. We lack one, two, three players to be considered a title contender and some experience. We are going to start talking about going up the table. Chelsea and Leicester are still too far ahead for my liking. For me it shows we are on the right track and improving and we are Manchester United and looking to catch the teams in front of us. That’s eight [clean sheets] in 10 so it is a foundation.”
United are expected to be busy in the transfer market this summer and Solskjaer can only hope future recruits make the same sort of immediate impact as Fernandes.
“The whole club [has been energised] because he has everything,” Solskjaer said. “He has the desire, commitment but is also the risk taker. He has the courage [not to be scared] to make mistakes and if you [take enough risks] it leads to goals.”
In the final minutes, Fernandes was spotted putting a finger to his lips to silence Pep Guardiola on the touchline during a verbal exchange with the City manager.
“You need character at this club but, this team, they have got that,” Solskjaer said. “They have learnt through some hard times this season. We have started something we believe in and Bruno has helped.”
Solskjaer was angry that Fred was booked for a perceived dive when he was adamant the United midfielder should have been awarded a penalty for a foul by Nicolas Otamendi. “Penalty, clean penalty,” Solskjaer said. “They [VAR] checked it, apparently, so we have got different eyes.”