Solskjaer: We can still catch City

But guess who are only club to overhaul a gap like this one

IT would be one of the greatest comebacks in t he hi s t ory of English football and it barely seems believable given the dominance Manchester City have enjoyed over the last few months.

But according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ‘ stranger things have happened’ than Manchester United reeling in City and pulling off the most unlikely title success.

United kick off at home to Burnley this afternoon 11 points behind their rivals with a game in hand. Win at Old Trafford and the gap is down to eight points with six games left to play.

Of course, that was the margin at this stage of the season in 2012 when United held the advantage under Sir Alex Ferguson, only for Roberto Mancini’s City team to pip them on goal difference thanks to Sergio Aguero’s last kick of the season against QPR.

City also had the advantage of a better goal difference and a game against United to drag three of those eight points back.

The chances of Solskjaer’s team overtaking Pep Guardiola’s City feel remote, but their victory at the Etihad last month and the shock win there for 10-man Leeds last weekend has offered just a chink of light.

One thing is for sure. With a possible 21 points left to play for, Solskjaer knows that anything but seven wins would spell the end of their faint hopes.

And with a trip to Elland Road to play Leeds next Sunday and home matches against Liverpool and Leicester still to come, only a win over Sean Dyche’s men will do.

‘ Every game is i mportant to Manchester United and we aren’t going to just give points away easily,’ said Solskjaer.

‘ Can we catch City? Stranger things have happened in football.

Bigger leads have been given away. Of course, they have been very strong and it’s probably too much to hope for. But as long as we do our job that’s the main thing.

‘We have got to win every game in the league. We know that. After that, we can only hope that something happens to City.

‘We can’t control what they do. We have to play it one game at a time because we’ve got some difficult matches left ourselves.’

United come into this afternoon’s game on the back of four straight wins since the international break in the league and the Europa League and with a good level of confidence.

One player certainly finding his confidence again is forward Mason Greenwood, who has scored three in his last five games, having only managed one in his previous 26.

The season has not gone as smoothly as the last campaign when he scored 17 goals — partly, perhaps, as a consequence of being kicked out of England’s squad last September for breaking Covid protocol alongside Manchester City’s young star Phil Foden.

But Solskjaer is perfectly happy with the trajectory 19- year- old Greenwood’s career is taking.

And while the manager doesn’t believe he is ready to be United’s No 9 just yet, he knows that day will come in the future.

‘ Mason is so smooth and he’s matured so much this season,’ said Solskjaer.

‘You can see his body has developed and he’s getting stronger.

‘His consistency is getting better and better and he will start scoring more goals, that’s for sure.

‘I have been really impressed and happy with his development this season.

‘He’s come through that difficult patch as a stronger person and a better player.

‘Maybe in the future he can play as a central striker, but I still think that’s a few years away.’