Just two months ago, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was threatening to leave Manchester United's training, but the situation is different now that the team needs to win or draw only against Burnley on Tuesday to grab the Premier League lead from Liverpool, before the upcoming confrontation between United and Liverpool next Sunday.
Manchester United faced a difficult start in their career this season, losing in the first game, and losing at home to Tottenham 1-6, and the team achieved its first victory at home on 21 November.
But then he succeeded in achieving 6 wins against two draws, and is now tied with the defending champion Liverpool in the number of points, with Liverpool excelling in the lead by goal difference only.
@MarcusRashford and @AnthonyMartial scored # United on our last visit to Turf Moore ✌️⚽ pic.twitter.com/A6Rk3WSwfq
Manchester United (@ManUtd_AR) January 11, 2021
Manchester United can be alone at the top in the event of a win or a draw with Burnley tomorrow, Tuesday, in the postponed match between the two teams from the first stage of the league, before Manchester United is a guest to Liverpool next Sunday in the 19th round of the league.
Solskjaer is aware of the ups and downs the coach goes through during the season, and is keen not to get too busy with his team competing for the top.
💬 Ole: "We have to be brave offensively and start each match modestly and work hard"
“It doesn't matter where we are after this, but at the end of the season.” # United #Burnley_United pic.twitter.com/tzBVLjwIt6
Manchester United (@ManUtd_AR) January 11, 2021
"We haven't even reached the halfway point in the season yet. I feel that every match in the Premier League is a challenge," Solshire said after the team's FA Cup victory over Watford.
"The Watford match was a test. Burnley is a test. So will the match against Liverpool and then we will face Fulham, which will carry a different test. Nobody will remember what the league table looked like on January 12, 2021."
🗣 Ole: “We're better than we were last season, but nobody remembers the table in January.
“For us it is about getting better and we have shown that we can recover from the loss.” # United #Burnley_United pic.twitter.com/XEFnVQwYRe
Manchester United (@ManUtd_AR) January 11, 2021
Solskjaer may have to make some changes in his team's formation against Burnley, as Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw missed the Watford match due to injury.
"I hope they are all fit for the match against Liverpool. I am not sure they will participate in the Burnley match. But we will see today," Solskjaer told reporters.
Solskjaer has given an update on the possible return of three of United's most important players to the squad against Burnley and Liverpool ⚽
More details 👇
Manchester United (@ManUtd_AR) January 11, 2021
Manchester United has made more effective offers in the matches he played away from home, and has won 18 points out of a total of 21 points available to him in away matches this season so far.
Solshire said that the desire not to retreat now is the motivation for the team, and stressed that successive victories strengthen the team's confidence and push it to further progress.
"Every match in the Premier League carries an opportunity to build more confidence," he added.
Tottenham, fourth-placed, are looking to reduce the difference that separates them from Liverpool to one point, through their match against Eighth-placed Aston Villa on Wednesday evening.
Manchester City are also looking to do the same with their match against Brighton, and seventh-placed Everton will meet Wolverhampton and can also reduce the difference with Liverpool to one point.
Manchester City will likely miss the efforts of striker Sergio Agüero, who missed the FA Cup match, due to his isolation after tests revealed that a friend of his was infected with the new Corona virus.
As for bottom-ranked Sheffield, he will start his efforts to start again towards achieving what appears to be a miracle, by meeting Newcastle tomorrow.
Sheffield United have scored only two points in the 17 league matches they have played so far, and staying in the Premier League has become a miracle for the team, but the team and coach Chris Wilder's morale rose following the victory over Bristol Rovers in the Federation Cup earlier this week.
The matches of the eighteenth stage will end on Thursday evening with Arsenal's meeting with Crystal Palace.