Last night, Manchester United certainly looked like a side that is realizing its potential. After a 3-0 shellacking of Sheffield United, a club they’re currently battling for the final Champions League qualification slot, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said there is more of this to come.
Anthony Martial achieved the first United hat trick of the post Sir Alex Ferguson era at Old Trafford yesterday, but the Red Devils still left some goals out on the pitch unscored. Solskjaer knows the result could have been even more lopsided, and he believes his side is on its way to moving up the table and winning silverware.
“At times it was very very good football but for me we could’ve and should’ve scored more goals and put the game to bed before half-time,” the Norwegian said.
“It’s worrying when you go in half-time knowing you should score two or three more goals but the control and way we pressed and stopped Sheffield United from playing as well was very good.
“Very pleased with the performance but still more to come. We shouldn’t be 100 percent happy with it.
“We can see the connection between Anthony, Mason [Greenwood], Paul [Pogba] and Bruno [Fernandes] and we can create chances from those situations as well.
“We should’ve scored more today, little bit lackadaisical with the final pass. When we’re in 100% shape we’ll be better.”
United’s main goal for this season is to get back into the UCL, and they can do it by either finishing in the top four or winning the UEFA Europa League. If Man City’s appeal on their European ban is denied, then United can get back there by finishing fifth.
They are currently two points behind Chelsea for fourth place in the table, pending the result of tonight’s clash between City and the Blues. They are just six points behind Leicester City for third place, which OGS maintains is the goal. Liverpool and City have the top two long locked down.
“I’ve never said fourth is our aim,” Solskjaer said.
“We want to go up to third but we have to focus on each game as it comes and there’s two cups for us there as well. One game at a time and in the end we can count the points and maybe have only two teams in front of you.”
Up next for Solskjaer and company is a visit to Norwich City for an FA Cup quarterfinal clash.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
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