Solskjaer ready to unleash the kids as Man Utd boss plots major changes for Leicester clash due to fixture pile-up
THE integrity of the Premier League will be the talk of football when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s teamsheet drops at around 5pm.
The Manchester United boss knows it — and so, too, does one of his predecessors, David Moyes at West Ham.
But it will be the Red Devils’ two biggest rivals looking on closest of all.
Liverpool have renewed hope of finishing in the top four.
Their best hope is pegging back Leicester, the visitors to Old Trafford for the early evening game. But all the signs are Solskjaer will field his second string against the Foxes and bring his first team back for the visit of Jurgen Klopp’s men 48 hours later.
You can just imagine the anger on Merseyside if the Foxes take the points against a weakened United — and strengthen their own grip on a top-four spot.
Solskjaer is unlikely to lose much sleep over that. Yet he might not get much kip anyway, as across town at the Etihad the title party could be in full swing by then.
He said on Sunday he hopes to delay City’s coronation as champions as long as possible.
The champagne is chilled and the corks can be popped if United lose either of their matches over the next three days. So does he go strong again in the hope they can keep the blue side waiting a little longer?
Under normal circumstances, the slip by Pep Guardiola’s men on Saturday would have given the Red Devils renewed hope.
And you would usually fancy them against Brendan Rodgers’ men, who were blitzed by Newcastle on Friday and play the FA Cup final on Saturday.
However, with three matches between Sunday lunchtime and Thursday night, Solskjaer says it is “impossible” for him to go full tilt in all of them.
West Ham, Chelsea and maybe even Spurs are likely to have something to say if, as expected, he makes wholesale changes to his line-up tonight. But he will not put their fitness at risk with a Europa League final looming in just over two weeks’ time.
The United boss said: “Talking about integrity in the league and stuff, don’t blame me when I have to make changes, because I have to.
“It’s not safe for them to play all four so I have to prioritise.”
If circumstances were different, Solskjaer would love to throw everything at these next two matches and put a bit of heat on City.
If they win both, they could be just four points behind the leaders by Thursday evening — with Guardiola’s men due to go to Newcastle on Friday.
Solskjaer said: “I wish I could have said, ‘Let’s go full out in all the games’ but it’s impossible. That’s the hard bit for me, knowing if I do play this XI on Tuesday then again on Thursday, it’s impossible — I run too much of a risk of injuring them.”
Solskjaer is expected to give most of the players involved in the win at Aston Villa on Sunday the night off now that a top-four place is guaranteed.
They would then be back in the starting line-up when out-going champions Liverpool are the visitors two days later.
But he will assess his squad this morning before finalising his selection.
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Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Mason Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Fred all started both games against Roma and Villa.
And Solskjaer said: “We will sit down with the sports scientists. We can have a theoretical team now but we’ll have to see how they react and then pick a team Tuesday afternoon.”
Youngsters such as Amad Diallo and Shola Shoretire, who have played in the Europa League this season, could come into contention.
Solskjaer added: “They’re in the first-team squad and training with us every day, so I would think that some of the young boys will get an appearance.
“If it’s coming on towards the end or it’s starting I don’t know because I don’t know how the players will be on Tuesday.”
What is certain is that Harry Maguire will miss the reunion with his old club after suffering an ankle injury on Sunday.
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