Solskjaer claims Manchester United may be able to catch Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League title chase thanks to ‘adding some top personalities’ to the team.
United begin their Premier League season with a game against Crystal Palace on Saturday as they aim to improve on their third place finish last campaign.
The Red devils have just one major signing so far this summer, but Solskjaer believe the team has been further strengthened by the return of Dean Henderson, the return from injury of Pogba and Bailly with the arrival of Bruno Fernandes in January.
The Norwegian manager believes these plusses could be enough to see his team overhaul the two clubs that finished above them last campaign.
‘The next step is to move closer to the top two teams and let’s see how much of that gap we can close realistically,’ Solskjaer told reporters.
‘The two teams in front of us have been way in front of the rest. It’s a chasing pack and we want to be top of that chasing pack and, who knows, stranger things have happened in football [than overtaking Liverpool or City].
‘We need to start the league well and we have to be consistent and I don’t want to take anything away from this group because we’ve added some top personalities.
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‘We’ve got Dean [Henderson] in, we’ve got Donny [van de Beek] in, Paul [Pogba]’s fit now, Bruno [Fernandes]’s first game was in February so he hasn’t been here long. Eric Bailly has come back and is fit, and is looking really good.
‘So we hope that we can move forward and who’s to say that we can’t?’
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a near-fully fit squad to choose from against Crystal Palace, just missing Phil Jones and Tuanzebe.
Donny Van de Beek is likely to make his debut for United, and while Luke Shaw is available, he may not be risked to start the game as he continues his recovery to full match fitness.
