Solskjaer debates Man Utd role in ‘unpredictable’ title race

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted that it is an “unpredictable” season but that Manchester United are not thinking about a title challenge just yet.

Optimism is growing at United about a potential title charge and they remained firmly in the picture by beating Fulham.

They had to come from behind to do so, but goals from Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba secured the result that sent them back to the top of the Premier League.

United are now halfway through their season and are in a healthy position, although there is intense competition at the top this season.

Solskjaer knows that, and for this reason he is sticking to a familiar logic about their credentials.

“It is always going to be talked about that when you are halfway through and top of the league,” he told BT Sport.

“But we are not thinking about this, we just have to go one game at a time. It is such an unpredictable season.”

MATCH REPORT: FULHAM 1-2 MAN UTD

The game against Fulham showed that anything can happen, as they were trailing for more than a quarter of an hour. But they eventually rose back to their usual standards and withstood pressure late on to hold on to all three points.

Solskjaer praised with the way they controlled the game and reacted to going behind – although he wishes they had started in a different manner.

“I think we started slow but after their goal I felt we played well,” he said. “We needed to wake up and after that we played really well.”

Unpicking the first goal, where United’s defenders appeared to stop, thinking Ademola Lookman was offside, Solskjaer said: “We don’t do offsides really, we should follow the run.

“We had not woken up but good reaction.”

Solskjaer explains Pogba rebirth

One player who has been central to United’s surge to the top in recent weeks is Paul Pogba.

The midfielder’s future has been in focus ever since controversial comments from his agent in December. Mino Raiola suggested his client was unhappy at United.

Pogba has focused on the pitch since then and has established himself as a key player for the club again.

He certainly seemed to have found the joy in his game again by firing in the spectacular winning goal. Solskjaer was enthusiastic about how Pogba has got back to his best recently.

“Fantastic goal by Paul and we had some other chances to finish the game,” he said. “But of course when it is just one goal and the players they put on, it is going to be like heart in your mouth.

“He has really come on. He is fit, he can play in midfield and he can play wide.

“That is key with Paul, getting him match fit and running fit. And he is at the moment. He played very well.”