Solskjaer eagerly awaiting clash of British titans
Providing they emerge from this weekend’s league fixtures unscathed, the Norwegian duo will join their country’s international squad for next weekend’s Euro 2004 qualifier in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
But before the pair set their minds on the task of taking another step towards next summer’s finals in Portugal, they will no doubt discuss the impact Thursday’s pairing of Manchester United and Rangers in Group E of European football’s most prestigious club competition.
As a former United player, Rangers recruit Berg already knows a thing or two about his prospective opponents.
However, Solskjaer is not short of knowledge either and, even though he is not steeped in the traditional Anglo-Scottish rivalry, the forward is acutely aware of the magnitude of back-to-back meetings between champions from both sides of the border.
“I haven’t spoken to Henning yet, but no doubt we will be talking about it when we meet up on Tuesday,” said Solskjaer.
“I know a few of us aren’t British, but the players realise exactly what these games will mean. The atmosphere at both matches will be incredible.
“I have never played against Rangers and I haven’t been to Ibrox before, but I have seen them on TV a few times and heard what it is like up there from Tore Andre Flo and Thomas Myhre.
Solskjaer acknowledged the game would mean even more to his manager, who was back in Glasgow today attending the funeral of his old school teacher.
Alex Ferguson was brought up in the shadow of Ibrox and fulfilled a lifetime’s ambition when he joined Rangers as a player in the late 1960s.
However, the dream turned sour when it questions were asked about his Catholic wife Cathy and in his best-selling autobiography, Ferguson ravaged the club for its sectarian attitudes.
Ferguson will also be quick to remind his team that they must come through encounters with Panathinaikos and Stuttgart before they head to Glasgow on October 22 , while of even more immediate importance in Sunday’s trip to Southampton in the Premiership.
After being beset by injuries for the midweek win over Wolves, United expect to have Ryan Giggs and Mikael Silvestre available again, while Nicky Butt and Quinton Fortune returned to training today after missing the last two games with ankle and thigh injuries respectively.
Paul Scholes’ availability will be determined by an examination on the hernia problem which Ferguson claimed on Wednesday would require surgery, which would probably keep him out of England’s forthcoming Euro 2004 double-header with Macedonia and Liechtenstein.
Rio Ferdinand has not trained all week after failing to overcome a stomach virus, so Wednesday’s match-winner John O’Shea is likely to partner Silvestre in central defence with skipper Roy Keane moving back into midfield, probably at the expense of Kleberson.
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