'It's not long since we were the best thing since sliced bread!'
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says it is important that Manchester United maintain our composure and belief after suffering two consecutive defeats.
The Reds face Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday lunchtime, with Solskjaer and the squad under pressure after narrow losses to Arsenal in the Premier League and Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League.
The setbacks came as something of surprise, following a 5-0 trouncing of RB Leipzig the previous week, and Solskjaer explained that it was important both he and the players put faith in their abilities.
The setbacks came as something of surprise, following a 5-0 trouncing of RB Leipzig the previous week, and Solskjaer explained that it was important both he and the players put faith in their abilities.
“If I don't trust my beliefs and values and my staff's quality and the players’ quality, who else should?” Ole told reporters at his pre-match press conference at the Aon Training Complex.
“I don't look at one or two results and fall like a house of cards. Yeah, it's a setback. [But] I think there's been too much made of not scoring against Arsenal and Chelsea. There was nothing in those two games.
The Norwegian said his long history with the club always helps him through any difficult periods.
“There's always pressure and expectations on us. I've grown up here. I became a man at Manchester United and I've learned how to deal with good and bad times,” he stressed.
“You're a top coach or manager when you win and you’re bad when you lose, because that's the last game you played. You're not really better than your last game. Every game of football becomes history quickly and we've just got to go into Goodison Park in a positive frame of mind.”
“There's always pressure and expectations on us. I've grown up here. I became a man at Manchester United and I've learned how to deal with good and bad times,” he stressed.
“You're a top coach or manager when you win and you’re bad when you lose, because that's the last game you played. You're not really better than your last game. Every game of football becomes history quickly and we've just got to go into Goodison Park in a positive frame of mind.”
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The manager is confident that his players are feeling equally ready to respond against Everton, and says they are used to dealing with the slings and arrows that come with playing for United.
“You have to be mentally strong. There are demands on a Man United player, a coach, or a manager,” he noted.
“There’s also an expectation, because we are at the best and the biggest club in the world. You don't expect to have anything but criticism then. It's just how you deal with that setback. From what I've seen from the boys, they’ve been very focused since we’ve come back and [are] ready to give a response.”
“You have to be mentally strong. There are demands on a Man United player, a coach, or a manager,” he noted.
“There’s also an expectation, because we are at the best and the biggest club in the world. You don't expect to have anything but criticism then. It's just how you deal with that setback. From what I've seen from the boys, they’ve been very focused since we’ve come back and [are] ready to give a response.”
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