OLE: IT’S A WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT FOR EVERYONE

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised his Manchester United squad after securing a spot in next season’s Champions League.

The Reds beat Leicester City 2-0 on the final day of the current Premier League campaign to ensure we’ll be in Europe’s premier competition in 2020/21.

Speaking after the game at the King Power Stadium, Ole reserved some special words for his players, gave his thoughts on our performance in Leicester and summed up the significance of making it to the Champions League, when talking to MUTV, Sky Sports and at his press conference...

A LONG CAMPAIGN

“To end up third is fantastic. They’ve taken on board so many things. We’ve had ups and downs and it’s come down to the last game. I have to say it’s a wonderful achievement from everyone. The staff, they are incredible. I did have a chat with everyone this morning on no matter what happened today, we’ve come so far as a team. We’re building a culture and I’m very proud of all their efforts and pleased with their efforts because to win this game was massive mentally for them as well, after losing two semi-finals this year.”

SCRAPPY AFFAIR

“It wasn’t a classic, but we want to learn how to win games like this, that we need a result in. It’s been like a mini-tournament since the restart. It took its toll as well. We were a bit tired and leggy - I think everyone can see we’re not the same as we’ve been early on. Then again, we’ve had to go for it and we’ve had to catch so many points and goals, and they’ve done it.”

WELL DONE, JESSE

“He’s had a difficult season and a difficult year but everyone has that throughout a career, or a life, and has been through it and come through it. He’s been excellent in training – lively and bubbly – and I’m very, very happy for him to get the final goal of the Premier League season for us.”

PROVING THE DOUBTERS WRONG

“I believe in what I do, I believe in how I’ve been doing. We all have different ideas on management of how we go about things and I do it my way and I think that’s the only way I can do it. I have a fantastic staff, the players have bought into this, the personalities out there have taken on board what we’ve been doing. I’m not going to say I’m not the man of course, because I’m in the job. I believe in what I’m doing. If I’m getting criticised, that makes me stronger and makes me believe more in what I’m doing. Please don’t praise me too much because you can be complacent. That’s just the way I’m made, but I didn’t know until a few days ago because I was just reading through them [the predictions], just me and the some of the staff and just discussing.”

BRILLIANT BRUNO

“We have to admit that he’s come in and been a massive influence, he’s made a massive impact, he’s been fantastic – scoring goals, creating goals, but also his enthusiasm and mentality around the place has helped. Maybe, today, you can see a tired Bruno and that’s natural because he’s played too much. You can see his passion, he’s moaning a little bit here and there, so we’ll have to take that away from him sometimes. But he’s stepped up, calm as you like and slotted away the penalty. Of course, you can see he’s tired now, his legs, his head and things go a little bit slower but that’s fine. But we have got to get used to that next year. We’re not in the Europa League, we’re in the Champions League and he’ll play as I can’t rest players in the Champions League as we have done in the Europa League. So we’ll demand more of him.”

RETURNING TO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

“For this team it means, better opposition next year and better games and we need to step it up definitely. It means every midweek when we have Champions League you have to go with your best team. It’s not like the Europa League where we can rest players and give a certain amount of minutes for young lads. Now we have to go for every game. That’s another stepping stone. You have to go and get fitter and stronger and more robust. That’s another part of the Champions League - the financial gain - but that’s not in my head. The club, they know what I feel we need and we’re going to try and pursue it.”