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Tag: Man Utd

  • McTominay is a physical monster – Solskjaer

    McTominay is a physical monster – Solskjaer

    Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has heaped praise on midfielder Scott McTominay, who made Premier League history on Sunday with his quick-fire double against Leeds United.

    The Scotland international became the first player in the league’s history to score twice in the first three minutes of a match, getting United off to a perfect start at Old Trafford.

    McTominay’s brace put United on their way to a 6-2 victory, as Bruno Fernandes also scored a pair of goals while Victor Lindelof and Daniel James got on the scoresheet as well.

    “We’ve been criticised for our starts but the boys were prepared,” Solskjaer told BBC Radio 5 Live. “We’ve approached the game really well. We’ve looked at videos and looked at ways to exploit them but also ways to stop them hurting you. It was a great start.

    “Scott used to be a striker as a kid – he is a physical monster. He can win in the air, he wins tackles, but he’s so strong and he’s quick as well. He just ran into the space that we hoped he would get and it was good work by the other players to create the space and good finishes.

    “I have to stop Scott from doing that sometimes – he is an attacking midfielder by nature. But when he sees space in front of him, why stop him? But he’s great at shielding his back four.”

  • Rashford could leave Man Utd – Van Gaal

    Rashford could leave Man Utd – Van Gaal

    Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal can see Marcus Rashford leaving Old Trafford.

    Rashford burst onto the scene under Van Gaal in 2016 and has become a mainstay in United’s attack.

    Van Gaal said: “I admire him for being such an honest and pure guy. He comes from an area where things are tough. And the way he is fighting for less privileged kids is wonderful. He does a lot of stuff for the community. He is a great lad.

    “I enjoyed listening to him when he said he hopes to play at United for a long, long time. But I listened carefully. And he did not say he would never play for another club.”

    Van Gaal went on to praise Rashford for maturing in his game from the raw talent that earned him his debut in 2016 to the more rounded player he has become now.

    “When I first saw him, he was an old fashioned dribbler. That is how he played in the reserves,” Van Gaal explained. “He would take people on all the time, go past them with lovely dribbles. And he still loves to do that. But he is now growing as a top player. He knows when he can’t make his dribbles, he needs to pass.

    “When he has double markers he needs to come up with quick decisions and different options. I have noticed how he is giving more assists for goals, the way he scans the pitch is good.

    “He must keep doing that, if he dribbles too much he gets stuck with the ball. When you give him space, he is unstoppable.”

  • Sheffield Utd willing to cover Lingard Man Utd wages

    Sheffield Utd willing to cover Lingard Man Utd wages

    Sheffield United are ready to pay Jesse Lingard’s wages in full to take him on-loan from Manchester United.

    The Manchester Evening News says the Blades might be restricted to loan deals in the window, after spending £53million on new signings in the summer transfer window. With Championship football a real possibility next season, they need to be wary of their spending.

    Chris Wilder is understood to have had talks with counterpart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the match, with Lingard clearly not in Solskjaer’s plans going forward.

    Lingard has only made two appearances for the Red Devils all season, and they came in EFL Cup games. He hasn’t played in the Premier League all season, and the last time he started for the side in the top flight was on New Year’s Day.

    The Blades are expected to cover the majority of his £100,000-per-week wages.

  • Pogba must always play for Man Utd – Hargreaves

    Pogba must always play for Man Utd – Hargreaves

    Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves says Paul Pogba must play.

    Pogba started for victory at Sheffield United last night.

    “Paul Pogba – whether you love him or you don’t – he’s a fabulous player,” he told Premier League Productions. “You’ve got to get him on the pitch

    “I don’t care that Bruno is in there, he’s a fabulous player, but play them all together. Look at these guys, what they can do. Look what they can create. This is what you pay for from Pogba.

    “Paul and Bruno are on the same page, they barely have to look at each other, this is how good they are. Paul is the deeper one. Bruno likes to be a bit higher up the pitch. The front three are creating the space.

    “When you see it all together, you think ‘Jesus – these guys could destroy you.’

    “Paul knows where Bruno is. Bruno knows where Mason is and then Marcus can get in there. How good is that? Get the boys on the pitch and let them figure it out – they don’t have to make eye contact and they can create like that.

    “Over the course of 90 minutes, with Bruno, United are going to beat teams. Over the course of 38-game season, if those boys are trusted to play with that front three, forget top four – United might challenge for the league again.”

  • Solskjaer singles out ‘excellent’ Pogba after Man Utd win

    Solskjaer singles out ‘excellent’ Pogba after Man Utd win

    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was delighted with Paul Pogba’s performance in United’s 3-2 win over Sheffield United on Thursday.

    Pogba set up Anthony Martial’s goal at Bramall Lane as United became the fourth side in English top-flight history to record 10 consecutive away league wins.

    Only Alex Telles (96) had more touches than Pogba (91), while the France international won three of his six aerial duels and gained possession eight times.

    Solskjaer praised the midfielder, who has been linked with a move away from the Premier League giants.

    “We made a decision. Of course, we know [Pogba’s] strength in the air. We knew he was going to be important for us. He won almost every single header,” he told a news conference.

    “His vision, creativity. Paul’s responded really well to the work he’s been doing. He’s fit now. Excellent performance.”

  • Solskjaer preparing to lose Ighalo, Lingard

    Solskjaer preparing to lose Ighalo, Lingard

    Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is preparing to lose Jesse Lingard and Odion Ighalo next month.

    The Daily Star reports Solskjaer was hoping to continue his search for a new centre-back and right-sided attacker.

    Yet the report adds that Solskjaer could now target cover elsewhere with at least two stars set to leave next month.

    Lingard is once again being tipped for the Old Trafford exit door having been linked with a move to Spurs in the summer.

    And Ighalo’s stint back in the Premier League is set to end on January 31 ahead of his return to parent club Shanghai Shenhua in China.

  • Anthony Martial has done better than I thought – Saha

    Anthony Martial has done better than I thought – Saha

    Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha says Anthony Martial’s progress has surprised him.

    Saha believes that Martial has proven he has the skill-set to play as a central striker but wants to see a higher level of consistency in his performances.

    “Anthony Martial has reached a level of skill and I didn’t see it coming,” Saha told GentingBet.

    “He’s really gifted in many areas and being a striker is one but it’s about consistency – you have to score and you have to have that desire to score all the time.

    “You’ll have moments where you don’t do it but it doesn’t matter because you’re still making the same runs. I think that he has definitely showed quality but obviously, we always want more from a player like him.”

  • Difficult to see Pogba leave Man Utd in January – Raiola

    Difficult to see Pogba leave Man Utd in January – Raiola

    France midfielder Paul Pogba is likely to remain at Manchester United until next summer as it would be difficult to organise such a high-profile transfer in January, his agent said.

    Mino Raiola had said last week the 27-year-old was unhappy at United and needed to change teams “in the next transfer market” to reignite his career.

    However, Pogba has since pledged his commitment to United.

    I was talking about next summer,” Raiola was quoted as saying by Tuttosport on Monday.

    “When it comes to Pogba in England they are sensitive, perhaps too sensitive.

    “It’s very difficult to see big clubs making these kinds of transfers in January. We will see what happens next summer.”

    Pogba, who joined from Juventus for 89 million pounds ($118.59 million) in 2016, has featured in nine Premier League matches this season, starting only six.

    His contract runs out in June 2022.

  • Fans return will improve Man Utd home form – Solskjaer

    Fans return will improve Man Utd home form – Solskjaer

    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes the potential return of fans to Old Trafford could have an instant impact on home form.

    United have won just one of their six home games in the Premier League this season, whereas their form on the road has been scintillating so far.

    United released a statement in October claiming they could safely house 23,000 people with social distancing. And Solskjaer told the club’s website that he believes Old Trafford could house more than the 2,000 or 4,000 currently allowed, depending on the tier.

    “Well, I think we want fans in safely and surely,” he said. “There must be a way we can get more and more fans in quickly. I know our club, we have looked at it many, many times and we’re ready to give a lot more people than the 2,000 or 4,000.

    “So you know we’ve got a big capacity here. I don’t think there are very many that enjoy football more without fans. The quicker we get fans back in, the better the football will be.”

    Solskjaer suggested fans will change the way teams approach games both home and away, believing there isn’t much difference between the two at the moment.

    “Teams have a lot of respect for us in the way they’ve set up in the games,” he added.

    “Home and away doesn’t really matter now. We’re going to have to look back at these stats and there are not going to be a lot of home teams having the better results. When we get fans in, the better advantage we’ll get from them – the extra passion and extra energy from them will definitely make a difference.”

  • I’ve spoken to Pogba about Raiola comments – Solskjaer

    I’ve spoken to Pogba about Raiola comments – Solskjaer

    Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he’s spoken to Paul Pogba about his agent Mino Raiola’s claims this week.

    However, Solskjaer insists his conversations with Pogba are no different than they are with any other player.

    “I speak to my players on a daily basis and Paul’s no different to anyone else,” Solskjaer said.

    “We speak in small groups and for me what was disappointing this week was us going out of the Champions League.

    “Players wanna go through in that and whatever anyone’s representatives say can’t really affect me.

    “I’ve said what I wanted to say about that.”