'We'll prepare as if it is the last game we will ever play'

Daily Mail

Monday April 21st 2014

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants five more points, starting with 'cup final' at Sunderland

By Riath Al-samarrai


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was hoping for an ‘Easter miracle’ on Saturday evening, but still could not bring himself to watch Norwich play Liverpool. His family were visiting from Norway and he did not fancy ‘wasting two hours’.

Cardiff City’s manager knows there is only so much he can do to keep this club of chaos in the Barclays Premier League.

They added another point on Saturday, which is not to be sniffed at in the context of their season, but four points from two games when you count last week’s win over Southampton is still not the sort of charge that keeps a side up.

Solskjaer estimates at least another five points are needed from their remaining fixtures against Sunderland, Newcastle and Chelsea. Should they achieve those five points, that would make nine from five games — something they have not done all season.

But he keeps the faith, nonetheless. ‘I think we will probably need to have five (points) to give us a chance,’ Solskjaer said. ‘I don’t think 34 will be enough — 35 might be.

‘It is three weeks until we play Chelsea and a lot can happen by then. They could win the league, they could be in the Champions League final, or some heads could be in Brazil at the World Cup.

‘Next weekend against Sunderland is a proper cup final. We will prepare as if it is the last game we will ever play.’

Again, it was David Marshall who stood out for Cardiff as Peter Whittingham’s controversial penalty cancelled out an equally contentious one scored by Marko Arnautovic.

Solskjaer said: ‘I would pick Marshy (for team of the season) if I could. Every day of the week.’

Meanwhile, Stoke manager Mark Hughes is set to hold discussions over re-signing Oussama Assaidi’s, who is on loan from Liverpool until the end of the season.

He said: ‘There will be conversations. He has done really well but where his future lies I don’t know.’

It could well be last game in competing in Prem BUT beat Sunderland and there is huge hope - still regret them equalising at stadium Christmas that game was the biggest two point loss this season

They should have prepared as if it were their last game every match in the premiership and not just now because they find themselves having played so bad at times this season they are red hot favourites for relegation and are clinging on by their finger tips for survival..

It could well be last game in competing in Prem BUT beat Sunderland and there is huge hope - still regret them equalising at stadium Christmas that game was the biggest two point loss this season

Agree .