MX23RW : Friday, November 8 00:40:20| >> :60:45:45:

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: 'Manchester United must return to Champions League'

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: 'Manchester United must return to Champions League'
© Reuters
United missed out on a ticket to European football's top table by slumping home sixth in the Premier League last season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows the longer Manchester United are out of the Champions League the more they will “suffer”.

The Red Devils are preparing to take on Club Brugge in the Europa League round of 32 on Thursday night, having missed out on a ticket to European football’s top table by slumping home sixth in the Premier League last season.

Failing to make it into the Champions League again will make it even harder for United to attract elite-level reinforcements this summer, while the financial impact is already being felt.

United recorded revenues of £627.1 million last year but the second-quarter results showed they are expecting it to drop to make between £560million and £580million in 2020.

“We’re a big club, we’ve got good finances,” Solskjaer said.

“But of course the longer you’re out the more you suffer, so of course it’s an ambition for us to get back into the Champions League, both for the footballing reasons and financially that will help the club.

“We’ve just got to focus on the next game, this competition now, then it’s the league on Sunday, then it’s the FA Cup on Thursday, then it’s the league again and hopefully more European games.”

Bruno Fernandes’ arrival has certainly increased their chances of success, with the big-money January arrival from Sporting Lisbon hitting the ground running at Old Trafford.

“We feel we’ve added some X Factor quality with Bruno, definitely,” he said.

“The addition of Bruno gives us that little bit of a different flavour.

Manchester United v Watford – Premier League – Old Trafford
Bruno Fernandes has made an instant impact at Manchester United (Martin Rickett/PA)

“He’s a player who likes to play penetrative passes, forward passes, likes to take risks, which a Man United player should do.

“His imagination or his overview and his picture is a couple of seconds ahead of many players and that’s one of strengths, knowing what he wants to do next time he gets it.

“But he can also change his mind in a split-second, so if that picture doesn’t work he’ll change it and that composure has been important.”

ID:390971: cacheID:390971:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5904:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1.15am
Bengals
@
Ravens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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!