ALEXIS SANCHEZ STILL has many years left at the highest level and just needs goals to increase his confidence, Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists.
The Chile international has struggled badly to hit top form since his move from Arsenal last January, while injuries have limited his opportunities for regular runs in the starting line-up.
Sanchez came off the bench for the injured Jesse Lingard against Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford on Tuesday, but again failed to impress as his side suffered a 2-0 defeat, after which Solskjaer suggested he could do nothing to help the forward out of his malaise.
With Lingard and Anthony Martial facing up to three weeks out, Sanchez could well be involved in Monday’s FA Cup clash with Chelsea and next Sunday’s Premier League showdown with Liverpool.
And Solskjaer insists the 30-year-old can still forge an impressive career at United, suggesting all he needs is a boost in self-belief.
“I think he’s a very good player,” he said. “He’s very talented, but of course there’s only so many things you can sit down and talk about and tweak.
“You saw against Fulham, when he gets his chance, he is so sharp in and around the ball, he wins the ball, his energy… if he could just get that goal, I’m sure that would release his confidence.
“That’s what it’s about when you go through periods when you don’t perform up to your standard, because we know there is a very, very good player there. It’s one of those things. You have that bottle of ketchup when it never comes, but when it suddenly comes, there’s loads!
He’s still a young boy. He’s a man of 30, but he can still play for many, many years. He’s been here for a year; I’ve been here for two months with him and he’s been injured for the first part of it, so it’s unfair to just expect him to be at the top straight away. I’m sure we’ll see the best of him before the end of the season.”
United won 10 of their first 11 games under Solskjaer before the somewhat chastening defeat to PSG, a result that leaves the FA Cup as their most realistic hope of ending the season with a trophy.
Solskjaer hopes for a response at Stamford Bridge after admitting that some of his squad had their pride hurt by the loss to the Ligue 1 champions.
“I’m not going to say it’s the last chance [for silverware] because we are going to go to Paris and give it a go [in the second leg],” he said. “But the chances of going through there are slimmer than before the game.
Everyone loves to play an FA Cup final. It’s one of the best memories I’ve got, playing at Wembley when we beat Newcastle United [in 1999].
“We need every player to perform to the best level. We are challenging to be top four, challenging against very, very good teams, so you need the players to step up now and you expect that at Manchester United at the end of the season. You always do well towards the end of the season.
“The players have had this little setback with the PSG game, maybe a reality check. There are quite a few heads there [where] their pride has been hurt. I’m sure they’ll bounce back on Monday.”
United beat Arsenal 3-1 away in the last round, a game in which Sanchez scored the opening goal and Romelu Lukaku, another forward struggling for form, earned two assists.
Solskjaer is looking for a similar impact against Chelsea if Lukaku is handed another chance to impress.
“Rom is a quick player and has physical presence, but we decided on Juan [Mata] and Alexis at half-time [against PSG],” he said. “But Rom gives us something else from Jesse and Anthony, so don’t worry.
“He’s made an impact before and he did really well with Alexis in the FA Cup in the last round, so let’s see.”
Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey break down Ireland’s dogged win against Scotland in Murrayfield, and look at the room for improvement, in the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly.
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And this is the club that people on here defend. Wonder what religion the dole scroungers from Govan think their top scorer is. Can’t see Kris Boyd being as vocal on this one
@Roberts Mel: That’s a fact! You’d need to have a long hard look at yourself if your support or defend that club in any way, shape or form. Xenophobic bunch of knuckle draggers.
@Roberts Mel: you are just as bad as them you know. Condoning the coin throwing the other day. Always the victim
@Joe: please point our where I condoned the coin throwing? I never even mentioned it! So how did I condone it?
Well done Steve Clarke. Needs more players and officials who aren’t from Celtic calling out that crap for what it is.
@Cian Nolan: the only way anything will ever be done is if players and coaches keep highlighting it to the media. Good on Steve Clarke and Kris Boyd for calling out what he was subjected to last week.
@The Bloody Nine: “Good on Kris Boyd” Haha that’s a laugh.. He’s a bitter Rangers fan that forgets another football club is actually paying his wages. He’s been talking Rangers up all season even though is plays for Killie..
@David Garland: I can’t believe you think sectarian abuse and coin throwing is ok because of what team a guy supports. It’s wrong no matter who it’s aimed at.
@The Bloody Nine: Didn’t see David mention anything about coin throwing or sectarian abuse never mind David saying it was okay for these things to happen. He just made reference to Kris Boyd and how nice of a fella he is.
@Roberts Mel: why is telling me how nice Kris Boyd is? I don’t envisage any scenario where I’ll be meeting the lad so his personality is irrelevant to me, as is who he supports or pays his wages.
@The Bloody Nine: Show me where I condoned coin throwing and show us how Kris Boyd has been a victim of Sectarian abuse? Also my point is Kris Boyd is quick to talk up Rangers telling everyone Celtic are in crisis and they’re is a split in the dressing room while all the time he’s playing for Killie.. As I said he’s a bitter Rangers Fan who never comes out giving out about the sectarian chanting coming from Ibrox..
@David Garland: he was called a fat orange b*****d by the Celtic fans
@Anthony Connery: well they ain’t lying
@David Garland: my apologies David if I misunderstood your comment. However, I can’t see how it’s relevant to my point that the more people experience sectarianism in football the more it needs to be spoken about and highlighted. And that’s regardless of who you play for or support. I’m at a loss as to why you’re arguing with me about this!
Normally at this stage of the comments we’d have someone on blaming the Celtic fans for the huns sectarianism.. With Neil Lennon gone I suppose they have to get someone else to racially abuse.. But clearly Sevco don’t know the meaning of the word “Fenian”
Rte have a lot to answer for the showing of “British” games when the english teams were banned from Europe. I know quite a few lads who are rangers fans from that influence. All rangers games were shown live as a substitute for the uk games.
@Trevor Beacom: any Irish person supporting The Rangers clearly has some sort of mental health problem.
@Ciaran Rice: You get an awful lot of Irish people who will support them out of spite because they can’t get their head around Irish people supporting Celtic, that’s how idiotic some football fans are in this Country.. The same people think nothing of supporting Clubs like Chelsea who we all know love Rangers and the UVF
@Ciaran Rice: Knew a guy at work who used to wear sevco shirt and England one during internationals. Was done purely for attention and the wind-up. Would not go out in public dressed like that, though.
@Ciaran Rice: Yea I know a few Irish Rangers supporters and they ain’t mental.
Ive been a long time Celtic supporter neigh on 55 years and ive witnessed plenty sectarian stuff in the Old “Jungle” which is probably well before your time.
That said Rangers have an ultra toxic lot that are very vocal.
Is Steve Clarke not a Rangers fan.. Can’t understand why they called him that
@ColmD: Clarke and his entire family are Celtic fans.
@Ciaran Rice: I didn’t know that.. Like him even more now..
@Ciaran Rice: Yes he was touted as a Celtic Manager at one point.
@Nick Condon Sen: he’ll be the next Celtic manager when Brendan leaves I’d say.
@Ciaran Rice:
The newest club in Scotland , reminds us all of a previous old one , same sectarian dribble , coming from bitter begrudgers .
Huns
I wonder do Rangers fans watch Braveheart and think” thank god we got William Wallace. Long life longshanks”
Seriously Rangers fans have to be the most confused idiotic bunch.. they havnt the slightest clue of their own national identity or heritage