Unreal start for the Norwegian at Cardiff
Manchester United won a game of football, were fun to watch and scored five goals. What kind of pre-Brexit time-warp is this?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game as caretaker manager of Manchester United could scarcely have gone better. The Red Devils finally had a bit of spark to their attacking play and were 1-0 up after only two minutes when Marcus Rashford score from a free.
Ander Hererra doubled United’s lead before the hosts pulled one back, only for Anthony Martial to score a belter that made it 3-1 by half-time.
Jesse Lingard scored United’s fourth and fifth – his second assisted by Paul Pogba – as United finished 5-1 winners. Remarkably, it was the first time United scored five goals in a league game since May 2013, the final game Alex Ferguson ever took charge off after his 27 years at the club.
Manchester United have scored 5+ Premier League goals for the first time since May 2013, in Sir Alex Ferguson's final match in charge of the club.
The beginning of a new dawn? 🔴 pic.twitter.com/duKsdkUjgz
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 22, 2018
David Moyes, Ryan Giggs (as caretaker), Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho. Four men have managed United since Ferguson stepped down and none had achieved the feat Solksjaer did in his first game at the helm.
The former United striker was asked about the feat after the game, and his response was just perfect.
Solskjaer, when reminded United have scored five for the first time in a league game since Ferguson's last: 'Since Mick Phelan's last game.' #mufc
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) December 22, 2018
Mike Phelan, who is back as Solskjaer’s assistant, was Ferguson’s No.2 in his final few years at Old Trafford (2008 to 2013) and many at the club felt it was a mistake to let him leave when David Moyes moved in.
Solskjaer and Phelan are back at the club and the goals are flowing again. The Norwegian revealed to reporters what he told his team before the match:
“One of the things I talked about today is that a Manchester United team should never ever be outworked, doesn’t matter what team you play, you should run more than them and then your skills will give you a chance of winning again.”
Tougher challenges await – Cardiff boss Neil Warnock described his team’s defence as ‘Sunday League’ – but this was the perfect start for the new management team.
