The manager of Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has stressed that the club can only compete with the newly crowned Premier League champions, Manchester City if United buy more players ahead of next season.
Manchester United contended with Manchester City for the Premier League title until Tuesday, May 11, 2021, when United hosted Leicester City at the Old Trafford for the club’s 35th league game.
Unfortunately for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his boys who were expected to defeat Leicester City to continue pushing for the title, United lost 2-1 to give the title to Manchester City.
Before the match, Manchester City have 80 points in 35 games while United have 70 points in 34 games. If United had won Leicester City, the club would have had 73 points in 35 games, which would have forced City to wait until Friday, May 14 to know their fate.
Recall that on the said date, Manchester City will face Newcastle United in the club’s 36th game of the season which would have been the game that would have confirmed City as the league champions. The game is now inconsequential, thanks to United’s defeat at the hands of Leicester City.
After the 2-1 home defeat, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer whose team lost the battle for the Premier League title with 10 points difference, congratulated the club’s rival and said City are worthy champions.
He went on to stress the need for Manchester United to strengthen the club’s squad to compete with the new Premier League champions next season. “If you want to take up the challenge with them, of course, we need to strengthen our squad”, he told BT Sports.
On what he wants Manchester United to be next season, Solskjaer said: “First of all congratulations to Manchester City for winning the league, very worthy champions, we’ve got to hold our hands up. They have been lauded, and rightly so, as one of the best teams that have been in the Premier League, they have shown where the bar is.
“That is where we want to be. We are not there yet; they have put the bar where it is and it’s up to us now to take the next step. That’s a long process, what know what we want to do.
“Of course, this is not the position we want to be in. But the sensible answer is that we pushed City to the last 10, 12 days of the season.
“We’ve got to be big enough to hold our hands up, I don’t mind doing that, but we know we want to get there and that is the next step we have to make. Hopefully, we can come together as a team and club and push next season.”
🗣 Tonight's skipper gives his take on #MUNLEI ⤵️#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 11, 2021
