Solskjaer makes baffling comment ahead of Liverpool fixture

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists that Liverpool up next in the Premier League is the perfect game for his under-pressure team.

United were rolled over 1-0 by Newcastle on Sunday – their third Premier League defeat of the season – leaving them two points adrift of the bottom three.

In comparison, their opponents on Sunday, October 20 after the international break – Liverpool – are currently on a 17-game winning run in the Premier League and top of the table by eight points.

After the defeat on Tyneside, Solskjaer accepted “responsibility” and claimed he needed “to sort their heads out” but also, bizarrely told the BBC that Liverpool up next was the ideal fixture.

“That’s a perfect game for us,” said the Norwegian coach.

“The international break is also at the perfect time because their heads need a bit of airing. It doesn’t help having a meeting tomorrow.

“They will go away with their national teams, meet their team-mates and come back fresh.

“We have had a good time together, we have prepared since the first day of pre-season, we have stuck to the same principles. We have not got the result today but we have to keep carrying on.”

Asked to assess the defeat at Newcastle, which saw United dominate 69% of the possession, he said: “Very symptomatic of where we are at the moment, disappointing. We don’t create enough chances to deserve to win a game of football – and that’s the short version.

“The first half, I couldn’t see that one coming before the game because it was such a disappointing performance first half.”