Ole Gunnar Solskjaer accepts it would take a miracle for Cardiff City to avoid relegation, but he has not completely given up hope just yet.
The Bluebirds won promotion to the Premier League by winning the Championship title last season, but they have endured a hugely difficult campaign in the top-flight. Despite leading them to glory 12 months ago, popular manager Malky Mackay was dismissed in December, at a time when City were just one point above the bottom three.
His successor, the title-winning Molde coach Solskjaer, was welcomed by the supporters of the Welsh club, but their fortunes have been on the decline ever since. Indeed, the former Manchester United striker has recorded just three league wins during his tenure, and his side are rooted to the foot of the division two points adrift of safety.
For Cardiff to stay up, Solskjaer believes it will take a bigger miracle than his former club’s UEFA Champions League success in 1999, when he scored the second stoppage time goal to overcome Bayern Munich 2-1. However, ahead of the trip to Newcastle United, he has told his players that they have a chance to become heroes over the next two games.
“If we stay up it would definitely be a bigger miracle than Barcelona in 1999,” Solskjaer said. “That night it was possible, and in football anything is possible. So we need to give ourselves a chance in front of our fans against Chelsea. It takes belief, togetherness, a team that goes the extra mile, and a hero stepping forward and doing something magical.
“It’s still possible that we are out of the bottom three if we win this weekend. We have got to give ourselves something to play for in the last game by winning this game. One of the key points is just imagine how this place will be next weekend if we have got something to play for, when we have got something to play for. Let’s give ourselves a chance by beating Newcastle, because this place will be rocking if we are in with a chance.”
Cardiff could be relegated if results conspire against them this weekend, but at the same time, their trip to St James Park to face a seriously out of sorts Newcastle is perhaps the favourable clash amongst those fighting for their lives. Fulham travel to the Britannia Stadium to face a Stoke City side eager to finish in the top 10, whilst Sunderland go to Old Trafford to take on a Manchester United side rejuvenated by the appointment of Ryan Giggs as interim manager, and Norwich City head to Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
