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Tag: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United a double-edged sword for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The 36-year-old superstar has always held a special place in the hearts of everyone at Old Trafford after winning the Champions League, three Premier Leagues, the FA Cup and two League Cups in a glittering six-year stay under his mentor Sir Alex Ferguson before an £80m move to Real Madrid in 2009.
The current Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will rightly celebrate Ronaldo’s landmark return – but it is also a double-edged sword for the Norwegian, who is still in search of his first trophy and cannot afford to wait much longer for success given more vast transfer outlay this summer.
Ronaldo will be greeted as the returning hero, the homecoming Old Trafford has always longed for but never seriously thought would materialise, and it will be a special occasion when he walks out once more as a Manchester United player.
It was a moment of high emotion when he came back with Real Madrid in a Champions League last-16 second-leg tie in March 2013, Ronaldo tapping his heart in appreciation as he received a thunderous, prolonged standing ovation when he was introduced before kick-off.
He responded in the only way he knew, scoring the winner but celebrating in subdued fashion as Ferguson’s last attempt to add another Champions League to his CV was snuffed out. Sentiment is not in his DNA. Success is.
Now he is at Old Trafford again, this time in the red of Manchester United once more, Solskjaer will hope he brings that priceless commodity back with him.
Ferguson’s father-son relationship with Ronaldo played a key role in diverting him away from the unthinkable outcome of signing for Manchester City, a move that would have threatened even his iconic status among United fans, in favour of this sensational comeback after 12 years away at Real and then Juventus.
It is a remarkable strike in the markets by United, one that will be paraded as a coup over arch-rivals and Premier League champions City.
The Glazers, owners still despised by large sections of United’s support, will say it is another signal that they are steadfast in their financial backing for Solskjaer, no matter what their critics think of them.
United may be in desperate need of another quality midfield player but how could they seriously ignore the chance to re-sign someone who is a gold-plated United legend, the man won the first of his five Ballons d’Or after inspiring United’s Champions League win in 2008?
August 28, 2021
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claims his team was ‘Unlucky’
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed his Manchester United side were “unlucky” in RB Leipzig and hit back at Mino Raiola over his comments regarding Paul Pogba.
Pogba’s agent, Raiola, spoke out on the eve of the crucial fixture at Leipzig – where United were eliminated from the Champions League after losing 3-2 – insisting he needed to leave the club in the summer transfer window.
The France midfielder was named on the bench in Germany but came on and had a positive influence as United almost came from 3-0 down to earn a point, which would have been enough to qualify.
“The squad is fine – they’re a team and they stick together,” Solskjaer said.
“As soon as Paul’s agent realises this is a team sport and we work together, the better. That’s probably maybe the last thing I say on that. I don’t want to spend energy on that.”
When asked if Pogba is happy at the club, Solskjaer said: “You’ll have to ask Paul. I’m not going to speak for him. Paul’s focused on doing his best for the team. He’s working hard in training.
“Now is not the time to discuss ins and outs at the club.”
Solskjaer, who must ready his side for a Manchester derby against City on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, said his team were not good enough on the night but were unlucky in the end not to level the game at 3-3 at the Red Bull Arena.
He told BT Sport: “There was great spirit and comeback but we started too late. You can’t give a team a 3-0 lead.
“I thought we were unlucky towards the end. The character and the effort was there.
“We weren’t good enough. In a difficult group we started well but the big turning point was the defeat to Istanbul. That’s where we lost points that we should have had.
“You can’t feel sorry for yourself. We have to focus on Saturday.”
December 9, 2020
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explains Man Utd line-up as Paul Pogba, Donny van de Beek miss out at Everton
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes the added ‘energy’ of Scott McTominay and Fred will help his Manchester United side get a result away to Everton, with Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek missing out at Goodison Park.
There’s mounting pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after back-to-back defeats versus Arsenal and Istanbul Baseksehir and the Norwegian had several big decisions to make regarding his starting XI, especially in the middle of the park.
Pogba started as United lost at home to Arsenal in the Premier League last weekend, while Van de Beek was given a chance to impress in the side’s shock Champions League defeat in Turkey on Wednesday night. ð´
In the red corner…#MUFC #EVEMUN— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 7, 2020 Summer arrival Van de Beek is still yet to make his first start in the English top flight and has had to be patient for opportunities under Solskjaer despite his high-profile £35million move from Ajax.
Summer arrival Van de Beek is still yet to make his first start in the English top flight and has had to be patient for opportunities under Solskjaer despite his high-profile £35million move from Ajax.
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But the United head coach has opted for a midfield diamond of Juan Mata, Bruno Fernandes of McTominay and Fred, who should both be feeling fresh after starting on the bench in Istanbul.
Asked about his starting line-up on Merseyside, Solskjaer told MUTV: ‘The energy of Scott and Fred, after not playing midweek, will help us.
‘Juan has showed us many times that we need his brightness and cleverness, and he’s been in good form lately. Hopefully we can get him on the ball and let him create chances for the front players.’
Victor Lindelof was a slight doubt for the game due to a minor back problem but the Sweden centre-back starts at the back alongside club captain Harry Maguire.
‘He is feeling okay in his back,’ Solskjaer added.. ‘Hopefully he can last the game.’’
November 7, 2020
Manchester United continue to back manager
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer retains the support of Manchester United and is still seen as a long-term appointment.
Solskjaer has come under fresh scrutiny in the wake of Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League – their first in the competition this season.
United are currently 15th in the Premier League after losing 1-0 against Arsenal on Sunday, but the club has no plans to replace Solskjaer – despite reports linking former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino with the role at Old Trafford.
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Solskjaer laughed off suggestions his job is under threat after the defeat in Turkey.
“I decline to comment on such a thing,” he said in his post-match press conference. “Of course, it’s early on and opinions are out there all the time.
“You’ve got to stay strong. I’m employed by the club to do a job and I do that to the best of my ability with my staff.”
United return to Premier League action on Saturday away at Everton, who have also lost their last two matches against Southampton and Newcastle.
November 5, 2020
Man Utd implosion in Istanbul unlikely to ease growing pressure on Ole
‘Welcome to Hell!’ used to be the message Turkish fans – namely those at Galatasaray – would use to welcome teams such as Manchester United to Istanbul in years gone by.
Although the atmosphere within football grounds now is more akin to the Garden of Eden, there are some United fans who would be happy to see their team comdemned to eternal damnation after an abysmal showing against Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday.
While the 2-1 defeat for United might not be terminal in terms of their hopes of qualifying from their Champions League group, it was another performance at both ends of the pitch that will have done little to ease the growing pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
After defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, the knives were out yet again for the Norwegian coach, with the blame for United’s inconsistent form starting to be laid at his door – but even his most ardent of critics will struggle to pin the responsibility on Solskjaer for the defending that led to Basaksehir’s goals at the Fatih Terim Stadium.
Ex-United midfielder Paul Scholes described the passage of play that led to Demba Ba’s opener as “like Under-10s football” in his role as a pundit on BT Sport, and even that might have been kind.
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Not since Steven Gerrard was bemoaning the Anfield turf in 2014 has Ba had as much space to run in on goal and score, with the whole of the United team having been caught hopelessly up field despite the game being just 12 minutes old.
If that concession was comedically bad, then the second goal that followed was not much better as Juan Mata was robbed before Ba’s dummy fooled three United defenders and allowed Edin Visca acres of space to fire past Dean Henderson.
The young goalkeeper, making his Champions League debut, was vocal in his dismay in the mess that was presenting itself in front of him, and he was right to be angry.
Roy Keane lamented the lack of leaders in the United side at the weekend, and again here there was a damning lack of responsibility being taken by United’s defenders or senior midfielders.
Although United’s failings at the back in the first half can be blamed on the players, their inability to get back into the game against an inferior team in the second is what Solskjaer will be called out for.
Having pulled a goal back shortly before half-time through Anthony Martial’s header from Luke Shaw’s cross, the Red Devils could muster just one further shot on target via a Bruno Fernandes free-kick.
While they dominated after the break, there was no precision in United’s play in the final third, meaning they failed to really threaten the Basaksehir goal.
Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani were given half an hour off the bench to make an impact while Mason Greenwood was also thrown on before the end, but the team were largely ponderous and lacking in imagination, with their failure to get in behind the defence a recurring theme of Solskjaer’s management when facing sides who are defending deep.
The hosts must be credited for the way in which they saw the game out, and deserved their luck as Harry Maguire’s looping effort was cleared off the line in injury time, but United will know this was a missed opportunity.
Their victories over Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig in the opening two matchdays mean they still top the group at the halfway stage, but the two games against Basaksehir were meant to offer them ‘easy’ points. Instead they and Solskjaer will face yet more criticism.
Suffer a third-straight defeat away at Everton on Saturday, and hell might not sound too bad to Solskjaer as an alternative to the hostile environment he will find himself in.
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November 5, 2020
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer breaks silence on Edinson Cavani transfer
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says refused to be drawn on the club’s imminent signing of Edinson Cavani.
The 33-year-old is set to sign an initial one-year deal with the club, which could be extended by a further 12 months if the Uruguayan impresses during his time at Old Trafford.
Donny van de Beek, 23, remains United’s only signing so far this summer but it’s set to be a chaotic final 30 hours of the transfer window at the club with Solskjaer wanting at least two more arrivals.
Cavani is a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain but a deal is far from straightforward given the striker’s wage demands and his agent fees.
Solskjaer was unwilling to confirm that a deal is imminent as he spoke to the media before United’s game with Spurs but he suggested that there remains obstacles to overcome before a deal can be agreed. ‘I can’t say anything before a deal is done, if it is,’ said Solskjaer.
Nevertheless, Cavani is expected in Manchester on Sunday to complete a medical for the club before signing his contract. He’s expected to sign a deal worth around £200,000-a-week, making him one of the highest paid players at the club. United signed Odion Ighalo on a emergency loan deal last January and extended his stay at the club in July until January 2021.
However, the Nigerian is only considered a short-term fix and he was left out of today’s squad to face Tottenham ahead of the arrival of Cavani. The club hope to sign Alex Telles from Porto and haven’t given up hope of signing Jadon Sancho from Dortmund.
October 4, 2020
Solskjaer explains why he was annoyed with Marcus Rashford during Man Utd win over Brighton
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed he gave Marcus Rashford a ticking off during Manchester United’s win over Brighton but was delighted with the forward’s overall contribution in the dramatic win at the Amex Arena.
The England international was criticised for a sluggish performance against Crystal Palace last weekend when he struggled to make an impact against a well drilled Eagles’ defence.
With another week of training under his belt, Rashford looked more like his old self on Saturday and represented his side’s most threatening attacking weapon.
The 22-year-old had one poacher’s effort disallowed for off-side but eventually scored his first goal of the new campaign when he sprinted clear of the Brighton defence, turned Ben White inside and out before smashing the ball past Matt Ryan.
Solskjaer was thrilled to see United’s No.10 get off the mark but admitted he had to tell Rashford off for failing to compete for the ball in a challenge with a Brighton defender midway through the first half.
‘’Stick to football they say.. Fair play rashford ðð¾ https://t.co/q3xN8PDzpx— Matthew Letford (@MLetford10) September 26, 2020,’’ he tweeted.
He said: ‘He was getting better and better but I had a little bit of a go at him just halfway through the first half for a tackle he evaded.
‘But I think his reaction, his sharpness is getting better. He is more direct, his confidence is getting there, he scored a great goal and it was a great run and great finish for the one which was disallowed as well. I think Marcus will really kick on this season.’
September 26, 2020
‘Strong’ De Gea under no extra pressure from Manchester Utd, says Solskjaer
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is mentally strong enough to overcome his errors in their FA Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea and the club will not put additional pressure on the Spaniard, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Tuesday.
De Gea, 29, was at fault for Olivier Giroud’s opener in the first half on Sunday and allowed Mason Mount’s shot to squirm through him and into the net after the restart as United lost 3-1 to crash out of the competition.
The mistakes have prompted calls for De Gea to be dropped.
But Solskjaer said United, who are chasing a top four Premier League finish to seal European qualification, had to focus on Wednesday’s clash against West Ham United.
“This isn’t going to become a De Gea press conference, we’re just going to stick together.
“David is mentally strong enough to know his job is to perform in training and be ready for games,” Solskjaer told reporters.
“We’ve had setbacks as a club, we’ve lost big games before and turned it round and put a big performance on.
“That is what we have to do now … we’re not going to talk about individuals because no one here will feel we put more pressure on them.”
United, who are fifth in the table with 62 points, can go three points ahead of fourth-placed Leicester City before the two teams meet in the final game of the season on Sunday.
But Solskjaer expects a tough test against West Ham under former United boss David Moyes, with the London club looking to win three games in a row.
“David’s a fantastic manager and I know it’s going to be a difficult game, they’ve had some fantastic wins against Norwich, Watford, Chelsea and they’ve secured their place, he’s doing a fantastic job,” Solskjaer added.
“If we can get through unbeaten that’s the Champions League next year, all eyes are on West Ham, we know their threats.” (Reuters/NAN)
July 21, 2020
Champions League absence won’t cause Man Utd panic, says Solskjaer
Failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League will not cause Manchester United to panic and alter their plans in the transfer market, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Saturday.
United are fifth in the Premier League standings with 58 points, one behind Leicester City, who occupy the final Champions League spot with four games to play.
With second-placed Manchester City facing a European ban for breaching UEFA financial rules, fifth would guarantee qualification for the Champions League unless City win an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“I don’t think the club will panic or go crazy with plans that we’ve already talked about for years to come.
“You do have to have a long-term plan but short-term some decisions will be easier to make if you get the Champions League,”Solskjaer told reporters in a virtual news conference ahead of Monday’s Premier League home game against 12th-placed Southampton,” he said.
United could also qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League, where they hold a 5-0 advantage over LASK heading into the second leg of their last-16 tie.
United, who are on a 17-match unbeaten run in all competitions, have won each of their last four Premier League games by three goals and Solskjaer said attacking football was ingrained in the club.
“It’s about winning, of course it is, but it’s also about our fans and the way we approach the game.
” You play with pace, power, you play with no fear, you take risks and you’ve got players who have got quality.
“That’s just the DNA of the football club,”he said.
Striker Mason Greenwood has had an impressive breakthrough campaign, scoring 16 goals in all competitions, and Solskjaer brushed off suggestions that the 18-year-old had exceeded expectations.
“We know what he’s capable of and always trusted him to be a part of this squad and chip in with performances and goals, we’ve seen it every day,” he said.( Reuters/NAN)
July 11, 2020
Solskjaer urges patience with Manchester United’s rebuilding project
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is convinced he would be given time to complete his rebuilding project at Old Trafford and says he retains the backing of the club hierarchy.
Solskjaer has come under increased pressure after back-to-back English Premier League defeats by Liverpool and Burnley left them six points behind Chelsea, who occupy the fourth UEFA Champions League qualification spot.
Ahead of Manchester United’s FA Cup fourth round match against Tranmere Rovers on Sunday, Solskjaer said there would be no “quick fix” to improve their form.
“We can’t react to all the noise outside.
“There will be criticism, you have got to take it. You have got to be stronger mentally.
“I am, the club is, the staff are very strong mentally and we’re sticking to what we believe in and I have got full faith,” Solskjaer told a news conference on Friday.
Solskjaer pointed to Liverpool’s long-term recruitment project since Juergen Klopp took charge in October 2015, with the Merseyside club now 16 points clear at the top of the league standings.
“For me, we do have a way of doing things. You can see other teams have done well. You can see Juergen spent four years building his team and they’re doing well now,” Solskjaer added.
Manchester United have 34 points from 24 league matches this season — 11 fewer than at this stage of the last campaign.
But Solskjaer will continue to plan for the long-term at Old Trafford.
The Norwegian is hoping to get at least one signing “over the line” in the January transfer window following injuries to Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.
“I am not going to change six or nine or 10 months into the job and starting believing in a different way of doing things.
“It’s not going to be eight or 10 players in, in one transfer window. We’ve had one proper transfer window in the summer, because the January ones are difficult. But we are trying to do something now,” Solskjaer added.(Reuters/NAN)
January 25, 2020