Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho are playing down the biggest game of their seasons yet.
The managers of Manchester United, past and present, face off at Old Trafford on Wednesday, with Solskjaer’s denying his job is on the line and Mourinho insisting he is a Red Devils hero.
The reality, though, is that Solskjaer’s United head into a massive week, which includes Saturday’s Manchester derby.
Having won just four Premier League games in 14 this season, the Norwegian must prove he is a better coach than the man he succeeded just under a year ago.
Should he lose against Tottenham and go down to Pep Guardiola’s City, it’s unlikely that he will cling on to his job for much longer.
But ahead of the clash against a Spurs side who have a perfect win record under Mourinho since he took over three matches ago, Solskjaer remains defiant.
DENIAL: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Picture: Carl Recine/Reuters.
In reaction to reports that he warned his players that he will be fired for a bad week, he says: “I’m good, it’s absolutely no problem.
“Sometimes you laugh when you read stories about what I’ve said and stuff.
“At least I know the sources everyone is talking about aren’t sources, they are just made up, blatant lies.”
GETTING ON: Mourinho and team are getting on well. Picture: David Klein/Reuters.
The Special One, meanwhile, is expecting a hero’s welcome despite a toxic end to his three-year spell in Manchester.
He says: “I’m not a villain, I’m not an enemy but I am the coach that is trying to win against Manchester United. “That’s the way I think they are going to look at me.
“Going back to Old Trafford is to go back to a place where I was happy. I can say that I was happy.
“I have great relation with the Manchester United supporters.”
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/THFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#THFC⚪ #COYS pic.twitter.com/HN7Af5rMCj
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial)
Wednesday’s other Prem fixtures:
- Chelsea v Aston Villa (9.30pm)
- Wolves v West Ham (9.30pm)
- Southampton v Norwich (9.30pm)
- Leicester v Watford (9.30pm)
- Liverpool v Everton (10.15pm)