Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pointing

Solskjaer: It's time to be aggressive in games

Monday 11 January 2021 14:29

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has urged his players to be "aggressive", as Manchester United prepare to fulfil a long-awaited game in hand against Burnley.

The Reds are level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, and will go clear as outright leaders if defeat is avoided at Turf Moor.
 
Solskjaer isn't paying too much attention to the table at this specific moment, but believes the best way to continue a title challenge is to be proactive and attack each game.
Watch Ole’s press conference Video

Watch Ole’s press conference

Solskjaer previews Tuesday’s trip to Burnley, which kickstarts a crunch run of Premier League fixtures…

“We have to be aggressive. We have to go into every game humble and working hard,” said Ole, during his pre-match press conference.

“Don't even think for one second that you've cracked it if you are near the top. That's not the type of players we have; we have players who should play on the front foot, [be] aggressive, work hard, be hard to play against, no matter what. 
 
“But, of course, the group mentality is improving all the time. Now it’s a different challenge. It’s Burnley away and we're in this position. It doesn’t really matter where we'll end in the league after this one, as long as you focus on this game and this game only. The league table doesn’t really matter now, but you pick up points and, when you get to March and April, that’s where the league is going to be more or less decided.”
The Norwegian stressed that the Reds had already achieved one objective – staying in touch with the leaders, despite the lack of a genuine pre-season.
 
“We knew that this season was going to be difficult for us,” he explained. “We started later than everyone this season – we've got this game to catch up. We didn't have any pre-season. 
 
“I remember I said – and I wasn't happy with what I said, actually – that we needed to ‘hang in there’, but that's not what I meant. I meant keep picking up points. It's not about just keeping in there, but getting the performances right, getting the points on the board and don't let teams run away with it. And we've done well.”
Highlights: Burnley 0 United 2 Video

Highlights: Burnley 0 United 2

Enjoy the standout moments from our hard-fought victory at Turf Moor, which was our eighth league win of 2019/20...

The manager admitted he was enjoying this season's Premier League race, with several teams involved at the top of the table and in with a chance of mounting a serious challenge. 
 
“I think all the teams want to take a grip on the Premier League, of course, but it’s that kind of season, that kind of year and situation where there will be more ups and downs and less consistency in results and performances. For me, it’s exciting. As a supporter or a fan, it’s more interesting when there are more teams in and around each other, compared to last season when one just ran away.
 
“We are better off this season than compared to the same time as last year. We've won more games, we've scored more goals, we've played better football. So, of course, that's a positive. But no one remembers January league tables. For us it's just about developing this team, and improving.”

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