MX23RW : Tuesday, January 8 18:14:28

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won't get distracted by his Manchester United future

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won't get distracted by his Manchester United future
© Reuters
Solskjaer is the first manager since Sir Matt Busby to win his first four league games with Manchester United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not yet held talks with the Manchester United hierarchy about his future at the club.

The Norwegian has made the perfect start to his interim tenure at Old Trafford, becoming the first United manager since Sir Matt Busby to win his first four league games, leading to increased speculation that he may be given the job full-time.

Solskjaer said: "It's early doors. Of course when I came in they were open and honest about they're going to have a process looking for the next manager. But the more you're here, the more you enjoy it.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been enjoying his time back at Old Trafford
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been enjoying his time back at Old Trafford (Nick Potts/PA)

"I've said one game at a time and the day they announce the next manager, if it's me or someone else, good luck."

Already a hero to the fans as a player, Solskjaer has received a rapturous welcome back to the club, but he added: "I don't get distracted easily. I'm very focused.

"I know what my job is. My job is now Reading, then we go to Dubai to prepare for Tottenham. That's my job. It's not my job to rate myself and judge myself. That's up to someone else."

Solskjaer is also yet to talk with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward about the club's transfer plans for January – and does not expect to have too much of a say.

Ed Woodward, pictured, has not spoken to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about January transfer targets
Ed Woodward, pictured, has not spoken to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about January transfer targets (Martin Rickett/PA)

He said: "You don't just plan the next day or the next month. I'm sure they've got plans for this transfer window. It's probably been planned since the summer and the year before.

"The structure of the club is phenomenal. I'm sure they've got their targets. Obviously I'm here to voice my opinion and I'm sure we'll sit down, me and Ed, and see if they've got anything in the pipeline."

Solskjaer's fifth game is an FA Cup third-round clash with Championship strugglers Reading on Saturday, where he will use the opportunity to rotate his squad.

Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku will start but in-form Paul Pogba, who may well have been rested anyway, is unlikely to be available because he is still feeling the effects of Jonjo Shelvey's controversial challenge in the victory over Newcastle on Wednesday.

"There'll be a few changes," said Solskjaer. "They'll get a chance, some of them that are itching to play. Get Lukaku a start, get Sanchez a start. That's important for them because they need more game time."

Solskjaer won the cup as a player and is targeting silverware as a manager, saying: "We're about winning trophies of course.

"The FA Cup final is such a fantastic final to play in. I played in the 1999 one at Wembley and, after having watched so many finals as a kid, to be able to make that long walk up from the dressing room to the pitch was fantastic.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has good memories of the FA Cup
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has good memories of the FA Cup (Owen Humphreys/PA)

"If we end up winning, that's what we hope for. Whatever competition you're in, you want to win. It's more or less what you expect at a big club like this."

Centre-backs Marcos Rojo and Chris Smalling remain sidelined and Eric Bailly is suspended but Solskjaer is hopeful Marouane Fellaini will be available.


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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool21173149103954
2Manchester CityMan City21162356173950
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs21160546212548
4Chelsea21135338162244
5Arsenal21125446311541
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd21115543321138
7Leicester CityLeicester219482523231
8Watford218583031-129
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves218582325-229
10West Ham UnitedWest Ham218492932-328
11Everton217683131027
12Bournemouth2183103140-927
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton217592429-526
14Crystal Palace2164111926-722
15Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2146111529-1418
16Burnley2153132142-2118
17Cardiff CityCardiff2153131941-2218
18Southampton2137112138-1716
19Fulham2135131947-2814
20Huddersfield TownHuddersfield2124151337-2410

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