Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that talk of a Premier League title challenge by his side this season was just “noise” but insisted they were getting better.

United’s 2-0 victory at Everton in Wednesday’s League Cup quarter final was their 14th consecutive away win in domestic competition and they last failed to win on the road in non-European competition against Tottenham Hotspur back in June.

Their league form — six wins and a draw from their last seven games — has propelled United up the table into third, five points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

“There’s noise around Man United anyway so for us it’s about improving as a team, taking one game at a time — we have to,” Solskjaer told reporters ahead of the trip to second-placed Leicester City on Saturday.

“That’s the name of the game, it’s the only way you’re going to challenge for anything at the end of the season anyway. So it’s not something we talk about.

“The only thing we talk about and focus on is improving day-by-day, learning how to deal with certain situations and maybe now at the moment we’re getting praised.”

United face Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester side on Boxing Day at the King Power Stadium where they won 2-0 to seal a third-place Premier League finish on the final day of last season.

United have lost just one of their last 22 league meetings with Leicester and are unbeaten in their last 11 against the Foxes since a 5-3 away defeat in September 2014.

“We’ve had some very good games against Leicester, very tight games. They’re a very good side with a very good coach,” Solskjaer added. “I’ve enjoyed watching them under Brendan Rodgers and it was a big test for us to go down to their stadium for the last league game in the summer and we passed that one with flying colours.”

2 test positive

Manchester City players Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker have tested positive for the coronavirus. The team said two staff members also tested positive and that all four are self-isolating in accordance with Premier League and government protocols.

Jesus has been slowed by injuries and has just four goals this season in all competitions. The Brazil forward scored 23 goals in 53 games last season.

England defender Walker is in his fourth season with City.

The club said it wished all four “a speedy recovery”.