Manchester United vs West Ham United. Premier League.
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Saturday 13 April 2019 16:16, UK
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has targeted 15 more points to secure Champions League football next season via a top-four finish in the Premier League.
United host West Ham on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.30pm) after suffering a 1-0 home defeat to Barcelona in the first leg of their quarter-final in the competition on Wednesday.
Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Solskjaer has effectively targeted five wins from United's remaining six league games - starting against the Hammers.
He said: "We need as many points as possible, and I think if we get 15, we'll be top three, because in those games hopefully we'll beat Chelsea.
"But now it's about West Ham, and focusing on a good performance to give us three points. We want top three. Top four is also an aim if we don't get them 15, but we should aim for 15 points."
With the return leg at the Nou Camp on Tuesday, Solskjaer will shuffle his pack ahead of a period of five games over the next fortnight.
"I've got options, of course, to rest one or two, because there are games coming up, and they'll all play a part," the Norwegian added.
"We had players on the bench on Wednesday night like Jesse [Lingard] and Anthony [Martial], who normally start games.
"There will be a couple of changes. Let's see what we'll decide on."
Meanwhile, West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini has demanded more from his side following consecutive 2-0 defeats that has left the Hammers five points off seventh-placed Leicester City prior to their game with Newcastle on Friday night.
They are without an away win in the league this year, and Pellegrini knows that must change if they are to have any hope of salvaging any faint European hopes.
"I always demand more from the players, from myself, and from everyone," he said. "If you ask if it's a good season; nine games before the finish, we were not fighting against relegation, with an average of five or six players not available. From that point of view, it's not a bad season.
"We must demand more. We must try to play every game with improvement and evolve.
"My target was to demand from everyone an ambitious mentality. We still have a mathematical chance for Europe, and we must try for that."
Luke Shaw, Ashley Young, and Ander Herrera are out of Manchester United's Premier League encounter with West Ham.
Full-backs Shaw and Young are suspended for Saturday's clash, while a muscle injury means midfielder Herrera remains sidelined.
Nemanja Matic is a doubt through illness, while Eric Bailly, Alexis Sanchez, and Antonio Valencia are set to be absent again. Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo are available.
Michail Antonio returns to the West Ham squad for the trip to Manchester United, but Samir Nasri is ruled out. Winger Antonio is fit after missing Monday's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea with an ankle knock.
Midfielder Nasri has a calf problem and joins Andy Carroll, Andriy Yarmolenko, Carlos Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, and Winston Reid on the sidelines.
I expect Man United to win this one. They'll do well to turn their Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona around at the Nou Camp, so they've got to fight to get into the top four now.
This is a 'must win' game for them. They've got to get this game won and then focus on that Barcelona second leg. West Ham have flip-flopped and they can't really go anywhere.
They had good stages in the Chelsea game, but it's a bad run of games and their season's finished. It's just a case of getting through it.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0
