TRANSCRIPT: Solskjaer’s press conference ahead of Wolves

Manchester United have been drawn against Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Before this was announced, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke to the press.

After beating PSG and after beating Juventus on home soil before you were here, is there a feeling of bring it on?

OGS: Definitely. We’re happy to be through. There are so many good teams. It’s been a nice couple of days relaxing and watching the other games, instead of having a game ourselves.

Do you want to avoid an English side?

OGS: I don’t really mind who we’re going to play. It’s going to be a tough game anyway. If we’re going to get to the final and win it, you have to beat everyone.

Injury wise, any news? We heard Lukaku picked up a knock.

OGS: Yeh he’s had a sore foot this week, so he’s been assessed. Hopefully he’ll get through today. Phil Jones is back. There have been so many players out. Anthony has been training well this week. Herrera has been training, Jesse has, so obviously we’ve got a decision to make tomorrow on who’s match fit.

What does it say about the Premier League that there are six sides in both European competitions?

OGS: It’s got to be a compliment. It tells a lot about the quality and it’s not like any of us have had easy teams to play against. Dortmund, Munich, PSG have been beaten, so it’s a testament to the Premier League.

In terms of Wolves, they’ve taken points off all the teams in the top six. How impressed have you been with their approach to the big games?

OGS: That’s a testament to them. From last season you were impressed with them then, to go through the Championship as they did convincingly with the players. You could see they had a clear plan. They didn’t get Championship players in, they were players above the Championship level and you can see that now in seventh position. They still trust their own way of playing. You still have to defend well. They defended fantastically well against Chelsea last week but at home they take the game to the opposition with their great passing ability in the team.

This is the first international break since you’ve been manager. How would you assess your performance over the last three months?

OGS: We’ve done well. We’ve given ourselves a great chance to the top four, or even third position. We’re in Cup quarter-finals both in FA Cup and Champions League. We’ve been on a good run but now, it’s not squeaky bum time like the gaffer used to say, but it tightens up and April and May is always the time at Manchester United when we narrow the focus and it’s now about winning trophies, really making use of the squad. It’s always been April and May that we’ve made that last step.

You obviously came in half way through. Do you feel as though you’re ahead of your own schedule?

OGS: I didn’t have a schedule. I had until May to do whatever I could with the team and playing style, mood, results, everything, has been going well. But then again football kicks you in the teeth sometimes, so it’s always the next game. If we get through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup then maybe I’ll have a nice few days back home.

How’s Alexis Sanchez’s recovery going? There’s been a report this week that he might not be in your plans in the long term?

OGS: He’s coming back on Sunday. He’s not been on grass yet, he’s been seeing his people in Barcelona. He’s still a few weeks away so if we get to round about Everton, City, Chelsea, that period, he’ll probably be available. Hopefully.

Are you confident that Manchester United will see the best of him?

OGS: Yeah I hope so. You can never be 100% but Alexis is such a determined lad, he loves football so I’m sure he is doing everything he can to get back and show his best side.

People learn more in defeat than in victory. So with the Arsenal game you’ve had a few days off to work with the players. So what do you take from that blip at the weekend?

OGS: You’re always measured on results but we played a good game against Arsenal. We’ve played so much worse and won games and that’s the strange thing in football when you’re a manager, that you can look behind the result and say that was a good performance, we didn’t get what we deserved, sometimes you say that was a bad performance but we won, and you’re happy. So it’s so strange. The Arsenal one, very disappointed in the result. It hurts more than anything. But it’s not like we can look at the performance and say we were s**t, because we weren’t, sorry! To be honest and blunt, we weren’t, we played well.

With the international break, what will you do with the players that you have?

OGS: I’ll have a few days back home hopefully or go somewhere with the family, that would be nice. Players who’ve been injured need to train hard and get fit, and the ones who’ve played a lot will play with international teams, so hopefully they’ll come back fit.

Can I just ask about Paul Scholes? We were all surprised.

OGS: Were you?

Maybe not, no.

OGS: He’s probably got his reasons why he left, so you’ve gotta ask him. He’s invited here if he wants to come and have a little chat about it. We’ve texted and it didn’t work out as he wanted, that’s just management.