Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has given updates on Manchester United ahead of the club’s UEFA Champions League match against Istanbul Basaksehir which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 24.
According to his updates on Manchester United, Solskjaer revealed that the club’s midfielder Jesse Lingard is self-isolating, Paul Pogba may return against Istanbul, and the club’s second-choice goalkeeper, Dean Henderson has agreed to stay at the club despite the stiff competition from the club’s first-choice goalkeeper David de Gea.
Lingard has been suffering from a lack of game time at the club since the commencement of this season as he has made only two appearances so far in all competitions. Last season, the club’s coach gave him a series of opportunities to prove himself but the 27-year-old English midfielder managed to score 4 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions.
The out of favor England international has less than a year left on his contract with Manchester United and it is not likely that the club will renew his contract when it expires next year.
His chance of playing a competitive match has been limited further has the club’s coach confirmed today that Lingard is self-isolating because he came into contact with a person that tested positive for coronavirus.
On the other hand, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed that Pogba might be fit enough to play the club’s UEFA Champions League match against Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday. The last time the France international played for United was on November 4 against the Turkish side in the first leg of the Champions League group match.
Since then, Pogba has suffered a series of setbacks including coronavirus infection, and also sustained an injury while on international duty with France. Though he is said to have fully recovered, his fitness level is not up there yet. However, Solskjaer said the Frenchman might be available for the club on Tuesday.
“We hope he [Pogba] is going to be available,” Solskjaer said. “He trained this morning, we’ll see if there’s any reaction when we report tomorrow.”
While on goalkeeper Dean Henderson, Solskjaer noted that the goalkeeper wishes to stay at the club amid rumors that he might go on loan during the January transfer window.
Since the 23-year-old English goalkeeper returned to Manchester United after spending two seasons on loan at Sheffield United, the Englishman has remained second fiddle to Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea. But that won’t make him leave the club this January as it is being speculated.
“Dean wants to stay at Manchester United and play for Manchester United,” said Solskjaer.
“He has come back in, he is training well, he is maturing. He is training with, for me, one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He has got the potential to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“It’s a great competition between them, so I don’t buy that argument that it is a make or break for him.”
Ready for tomorrow 💪#MUFC #UCL pic.twitter.com/gd07ja1m3a
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 23, 2020
