Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has described the scheduling of this season’s FA Cup semi-finals as “not fair” as Manchester United prepare to face a Chelsea side which will have enjoyed an extra 48 hours of rest.
United travel to play Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Selhurst Park on Thursday night, two days after Chelsea’s victory over Norwich City. The two clubs are competing for the final two Champions League qualification places.
“There is a concern, obviously, that they will have had 48 hours’ more rest and recovery than us. It’s not fair,” said Solskjaer.
“We spoke about a fair scheduling going into this restart and of course it isn’t. But I have to think about Thursday, winning that one, focusing on that one, and then pick up the pieces after that,” he added.
United will face a tough schedule, with four games to be played across 10 days, all of which could have an important bearing on the success of their season.
“We’ve not really played every three days but we definitely will now,” Solskjaer said. “The next two weeks will be hectic but then again we’re fit, very fit – our lads have not felt as fit as this for years, I’m sure.
“It was a big thing towards the end of last season that we felt our team wasn’t fit enough, we got a few injuries. This season we’ve not had that kind of a problem.
“It’s not going to be a problem and a concern for us but 24 hours, 48 hours is a big difference at this time [of the season] so we’ve not been handed four aces, to put it that way, for the last two weeks. But we’re going to have to put on a poker face and play the cards well.”
