Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reckons Manchester United can comfortably finish in the top four this season, though has admitted that his side simply cannot play the ‘tippy-tappy football’ employed by their neighbours, Man City.
Manchester United have shown a distinct inability to break down the Premier League‘s more compact defences, their 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day just the third time this season they had beaten one of the sides below them in the table.
In contrast, the Red Devils are unbeaten against the traditional big six, and are one of only three teams to have beaten second-placed Leicester, succeeding with a more counter-attacking brand of football, and speaking ahead of this evening’s game against Burnley, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has discussed his side’s style of play.
“I think it’s been told to the players, in quite certain terms, what kind of team we are,” said Solskjaer at the pre-match press conference.
“They know what we expect. They know when we’re at our best.
“We have to make it hard to play against us. We can’t play tippy-tappy football.
“We can’t, at this moment in time, play like Manchester City. It’s only City that can do that.
“We have to show more energy, drive, urgency and selflessness in every single game. That is the way we have to play at the moment.”
Despite their struggles in breaking down low blocks, United are still just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, with a whole host of the division’s biggest sides struggling for consistency, and Solskjaer reckons United can secure themselves a place in next season’s Champions League.
“If we get consistent, it’s not going to go down to the wire,” said Solskjaer.
“We should get into the top four without waiting for the last game against Leicester.
“But it might go down to the last game, who knows?
“I still expect a lot from this team this year. I expect them to be ready for Burnley because they’re next.”
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