OLE: MY BIGGEST GAME YET

Boss looks ahead to biggest test as City manager yet

City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær has called for his side to close the gap on their relegation rivals with a crucial victory over Crystal Palace.

The Bluebirds go into Saturday’s game at Cardiff City Stadium looking to reduce the five point deficit to Tony Pulis’ side, with a sell-out crowd expected to create an electric atmosphere to help roar City on to a potentially pivotal result.

Describing the clash as the biggest yet as manager of the Bluebirds, Ole said: “It’s an important game, we’re running out of matches now to get the points we need. For us, we need to go out there, on the front foot and give it our biggest shot to do what we can to get those three points.

“I don’t worry about ‘ifs’ I look at this match as a chance to ensure that we’re really in the fight. There is that pressure there but it can bring the best out of you. The desire to succeed has to be bigger, you can’t be afraid to make mistakes.

“We need to play in the right way and perform like we know we can, we need to stick together. What happened at the end last week for me was a turning point. It could be a defining moment, to turnaround a result that could quite easily have been 4-2 and to get a point.”

City face a Palace side buoyed by an excellent victory over title challenging Chelsea last weekend, with Ole fully expectant of a tough and difficult tie against a typically organised and disciplined Tony Pulis side.

“We’ll need to earn the right to beat this side, you have to respect the recent form they’ve shown,” said the City boss. “They’ve got a disciplined mentality installed in them and I’m sure they won’t get carried away after last weekend’s result.

“We’ve scored six goals in our last two home games. As a manager you are judged on getting results and Tony is getting results. You have to admire managers who are getting results.”

Meanwhile the City squad will be boosted by the return of Craig Noone from injury, joining a fully fit set of players to choose from for Ole aside from his long-term absentees.

“Craig Noone has had a groin issue. He’s an important player for us. We’ve got goals in us and Craig adds to that threat.

“We need to make sure that we concede less than two when we score three. We need to defend better while having that quality in attack.”

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