Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to the Champions League for some cheer after suffering away defeats by the Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup and English Premier League.
Tuesday’s 2-1 loss at Molineux was a rare blemish on a stunning start to Solskjaer’s reign, and a win against Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final next week would be the best remedy.
“We will use one or two days to analyze and recover, and then we will prepare for Barcelona, which will be a fantastic challenge for the club,” Solskjaer said.
Photo: Reuters
The Norwegian was also weighing up how to ensure his team make it into next season’s Champions League after the defeat at Wolves left them in fifth place on 61 points, still behind Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference, but now having played a game more.
“We need 15 points in the last six games, so we don’t have room for any more losses,” he said, assessing United’s chances of a top-four finish before their next Premier League game at home to West Ham United on Saturday next week.
Having criticized his team after a 2-1 win over Watford on the weekend, Solskjaer was forgiving about Tuesday’s setback, saying that United created enough chances to win.
“Very good start. Should have been three up, or could have. We created our own downfall really... but for their ’keeper [Rui Patricio], we should have won this game,” Solskjaer said.
After his second game since being given the Old Trafford job permanently, Solskjaer was asked if the shine might be coming off his incredible start.
“I don’t think there is any kickback or resetting. I was very pleased with the amount of chances, with the intent in the way we started the game and played,” he said.
WATFORD 4, FULHAM 1
Fulham were relegated after collapsing to a 4-1 defeat at Watford, a result that left them 16 points adrift of the safety zone with five games remaining.
The West London side return to the second-tier Championship just a season after winning the promotion playoffs.
They go down with Huddersfield Town, who on Saturday last week became only the second team to be relegated from the Premier League before the end of last month.
The third relegation spot is occupied by Cardiff City, but Burnley, Southampton, and Brighton & Hove Albion are all just five points above the Welsh side.
Fulham went into the game knowing they had to avoid defeat to extend their battle against the drop, but Abdoulaye Doucoure put Watford ahead in the 23rd minute with a superb left-foot strike from the edge of the box after bursting from midfield.
Fulham, who have not won away all season, fought back to score through Ryan Babel 10 minutes later, but after Will Hughes restored Watford’s lead in the 63rd minute with a thundering volley from the edge of the box, Fulham fell to pieces.
Fulham were promoted to the top flight after beating Aston Vila in the playoff final, but despite US owner Shahid Khan investing an estimated £100 million (US$131.74 million) in new players, the biggest spend by any promoted club, they struggled from the outset with manager Slavisa Jokanovic sacked in November last year.
Italian Claudio Ranieri was brought in, but failed to turn things around and was also sacked on Feb. 28, with former player Scott Parker taking over.
Asked where the season had gone wrong, 38-year-old former England midfielder Parker was reluctant to offer an explanation.
“I think in the initial reaction — I have ideas of [where it went wrong], but it’s not the time to broadcast it. When a club gets relegated, you know there are some serious issues,” he said.
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