Man United vs Liverpool: Solskjaer Says Ferguson Welcome To Address Players

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he will welcome Sir Alex Ferguson to the dressing room if he wishes to address the players.

Solskjaer added that he will not be trying any Ferguson-style ‘mind games’ ahead of United‘s game against Liverpool.

The Red Devil manager stated these in his press conference ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Liverpool.

United were comfortably beaten 3-1 at Anfield in December and that proved to be Jose Mourinho’s final match at the helm – but Solskjaer has masterminded an impressive revival since taking over on a caretaker basis and is now preparing for Sunday’s rematch against Jurgen Klopp’s team.

Mourinho was known for his mind games ahead of big games, as was Solskjaer’s mentor Ferguson.

But, asked if he might try to emulate their methods, Solskjaer said: “No.

“I don’t think Jurgen Klopp will read what I say, I am not going to read what he says.

“That’s further down the line, I would think.

“But he would be welcome to talk to the players if he wanted to, the gaffer (Ferguson), because we know how much it meant for him to overtake Liverpool.

“I think our players know what it means for everyone at Man United.”

Solskjaer acknowledges that Old Trafford will be a cauldron of emotion for Sunday’s showdown but will be stressing to his team that they need to keep their heads.

“I have played a few of these myself and I know the magnitude of it, for the fans, for everyone who works here,” he said.

“There have been comments, ‘this is the big one’, ‘onto this one’ – but then it is our job to be focusing and channelling all that energy into performance-mode when we start the game on Sunday.

“It’s not about emotions. I understand that emotion can be brought into it, but we have to stay focused and controlled, but with some fight in us as well.”