MX23RW : Friday, November 8 03:58:21| >> :120:11734:11734:
[monks data]
Attendance: 47,441
PSG logo
Champions League | Round of 16
Mar 6, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Manchester United logo

1-3

Bernat (12')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Lukaku (2', 30'), Rashford (90' pen.)

Solskjaer heads to Paris weakened in number but high in confidence

Solskjaer heads to Paris weakened in number but high in confidence
© Reuters
United trail 2-0 and need a big swing to go through.

Manchester United's uphill battle against Paris St Germain is set to be made all the more difficult by up to 10 absentees, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirming Anthony Martial will be among those missing for Wednesday's crucial Champions League clash.

Unbeaten on the domestic front since the 1999 treble hero took caretaker charge in December, the only blot on the interim manager's copybook is last month's 2-0 last-16 first leg loss to the perennial Ligue 1 champions at Old Trafford.

Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe did the damage and those away goals mean United are available at 18-1 with bookmakers to progress to the quarter-finals.

Anthony Martial (right) looks unlikely to make it
Anthony Martial (right) looks unlikely to make it (Martin Rickett/PA)

Those odds may lengthen when United's list of absentees becomes clear.

France's World Cup-winning midfielder Paul Pogba is banned after his first-leg sending off, while Solskjaer fears the worst when it comes to United's lengthy injury list that is set to include Martial due to a groin complaint.

Asked if any of the injured players would be fit to face PSG, he said: "Not really, no. It doesn't look like it. No, I don't think we can risk it (playing Martial). He has not been training yet so I don't think so."

Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata have also missed recent games, along with Ander Herrera, Matteo Darmian, Phil Jones and Antonio Valencia.

That list looks to have grown to 10 after Alexis Sanchez was forced off midway through Saturday's 3-2 comeback win against Southampton. The forward was seen limping out of Old Trafford seemingly wearing strapping on his right leg.

Despite that latest setback, the manner of the weekend win acts as a timely shot in the arm to a United side that heads to France with hope and positivity.

"I have to say, they are confident going into the game knowing that we are 2-0 down," Solskjaer said.

"We know it is going to be difficult, we played them here and they are a good team, and we have got loads of injuries, there's a few boys here that will want to be part of it.

"We have got to go for it. We have a mountain to climb. We have quality players. Let's see how many we have got, though. That maybe is the biggest thing."

Still, Solskjaer pledged to fight at PSG and try to secure a famous away win akin to the semi-final triumph that saw Juventus beaten 3-2 on the way to the treble in 1999.

"It was 1-1 at home and they scored two to go 2-0 up in the 10 minutes and suddenly you think you are out," he said.

Manchester United famously won at Juventus in 1999
Manchester United famously won at Juventus in 1999 (Owen Humphreys/PA)

"But as soon as you get that one goal away from home we were in the ascendancy, and then when we got to 2-2 suddenly we were through and they had to panic, so that's it for us.

"We have to get goals in that game. If we get an early one, then suddenly we are in with a shout."

While United focus on continental matters, relegation-threatened Saints will look to build on their positive Old Trafford display when Tottenham visit next weekend.

Yan Valery opened the scoring for Southampton in stunning fashion but ultimately left with nothing aside from compatriot Pogba's shirt, yet the 20-year-old remained strikingly upbeat.

Jan Valery scored at Old Trafford
Jan Valery scored at Old Trafford (Martin Rickett/PA)

"It's mad and to do it at Old Trafford as well," he said after scoring his first senior goal.

"I really hoped we would have had at least one point. It was good to score, but I would have preferred it if we won.

"The manager talked to us, and we are obviously disappointed, but he's happy that we gave him everything."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Simon Peach, Press Association Chief Football Writer');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '11ec403d-8b6f-4691-8658-c49baaaa1c51');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Solskjaer heads to Paris weakened in number but high in confidence'});

ID:352219: cacheID:352219:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:10340:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Mauro Icardi in action for Inter Milan in February 2019
Read Next:
Inter 'eyeing Lukaku, Icardi swap deal'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1.15am
Bengals
@
Ravens
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool440012
2Sporting Lisbon431010
3Brest431010
4Inter Milan431010
5Monaco431010
6Barcelona43019
7Dortmund43019
8Aston Villa43019
9Atalanta42208
10Juventus42117
11Lille42117
12Man City42117
13Arsenal42117
14B. Leverkusen42117
15Celtic42117
16Dinamo Zagreb42117
17AC Milan42026
18Bayern42026
19Benfica42026
20Feyenoord42026
21Real Madrid42026
22Brugge42026
23Atletico42026
24PSV41215
25Sparta Prague41124
26Stuttgart41124
27PSG41124
28Shakhtar41124
29Girona41033
30Salzburg41033
31Bologna40131
32RB Leipzig40040
33Sturm Graz40040
34Young Boys40040
35Red Star40040
36Slovan Bratislava40040


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!