United look to extend lead over chasing Premier League pack

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has challenged his Manchester United players to show the relentlessness of champions when they welcome bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United to Old Trafford on Wednesday.

United will be confident of extending a 13-game unbeaten league run in the league that has taken them to the top of the table against the Blades, who have won only once in the top flight this season.

United’s fine form continued by knocking Liverpool out of the FA Cup on Sunday, winning a thrilling tie 3-2.

But Solskjaer is wary of his side slipping back into bad habits as they have done previously after good runs in his tenure.

“Now I want to see the reaction, how we can now mentally go again, against Sheffield United. That’s the challenge now,” said Solskjaer.

“We have beaten Liverpool, and everyone is elated, very happy and they should be, but tomorrow morning I want to see players thinking about Wednesday night.”

United could be without Marcus Rashford, who limped off with a knee injury late on against Liverpool.

But Solskjaer will be able to welcome back Bruno Fernandes to the starting line-up after he came off the bench to score the winner against the English champions at the weekend with a stunning free-kick.

A draw with West Brom also sparked the collapse of Liverpool’s title defence as Jurgen Klopp’s men have failed to win in five league games to slip to fourth, six points off the top.

When the Reds hosted Tottenham just over a month ago it was a top-of-the-table clash. Now they meet again locked in a battle just to try and qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Spurs are a point behind Liverpool, but have a game in hand and have recovered from their own dip in form to take seven points from the last possible nine.

Leicester sit between the Manchester giants and Liverpool as they aim to recreate their title-winning heroics of 2015/16.

The Foxes travel to another top-four contender Everton, who were the last team to beat Brendan Rodgers’ men eight games ago.

Leicester will be without talisman Jamie Vardy for a few weeks after a hernia operation, but Rodgers believes his side can cope without the 34-year-old.

Leicester are third in the table at the midway point of the Premier League season, just two points behind leaders Manchester United after three straight wins.

Vardy had not scored in his previous five matches before his enforced break but Leicester still won three and drew two.

The 2016 Premier League champions beat second-tier Brentford 3-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, without Vardy in the team.

“He’s a little bit sore as you’d expect but we hope he’s a quick healer and he’ll be back soon,” said Rodgers.

“There is a lot made when Jamie doesn’t play. He’s one of the best in the league but our development as a team is about the collective.

“We have scored 53 goals over the course of the season so far. Jamie has 13 and 40 of our goals have come from other people.”

Despite speculation that Rodgers could be in the frame, Chelsea did not try to poach the Leicester boss as their new manager after sacking Frank Lampard on Monday.

Former Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel is instead expected to be named Lampard’s successor and could even be in place in time for the visit of Wolves on Wednesday.

Agence France-Presse

English Premier League fixtures (all times GMT)
On Wednesday: Chelsea vs Wolves, Burnley vs Aston Villa (both 1800),Brighton vs Fulham (1930), Everton vs Leicester, Manchester United vs Sheffield United (both 2015)
On Thursday: Tottenham vs Liverpool (2000)