Solskjaer: I can't do anything about struggling Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez "must find himself" following another ineffective performance, said Manchester United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Published : Feb 13, 2019 11:59 IST

Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez
Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez
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Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he cannot do anything about Alexis Sanchez as he challenged the struggling Manchester United forward to rediscover his best form. 

It was another poor performance from Sanchez, who came off the bench in United's 2-0 Champions League loss at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the opening leg of its last-16 tie on Tuesday.

REPORT |   Man United 0 PSG 2

Sanchez replaced Jesse Lingard in first-half stoppage time and the Chilean was ineffective following his introduction at Old Trafford, where doubts over his future heightened post-match after United crashed to its first defeat under Solskjaer.

Asked about Sanchez - who has only scored five goals since swapping Premier League rival Arsenal for United in January 2018 - caretaker manager Solskjaer told reporters: "I can't do anything about Alexis. He needs to find himself as we know there is a quality player there."

In-form duo Lingard and Anthony Martial both succumbed to injuries as United was outclassed by French champion PSG, which scored twice in seven second-half minutes through Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe while a miserable outing for the host was capped by Paul Pogba's late red card.

"The reality is Jesse and Anthony are part of our squad playing really well but in the second half we didn't have as much movement and couldn't get in behind," added Solskjaer, who will assess Lingard and Martial's fitness in the next couple of days.

"Juan [Mata] got on the ball to create a few bits but we maybe need to find a new way to play when Anthony and Jesse are out.

READ | Solskjaer: PSG levels above Man United

Kimpembe opened the scoring from a corner but Mbappe's sensational sweeping finish from a swift counter put PSG in the box seat - the French star's pace leaving United's defenders in his wake.

"The ground he made up to get in the box, for all the strikers and coaches out there, that's how you get in the box," Solskjaer said of the 20-year-old.

"Don't give him that space to go into, but he's lightning quick of course. You have to get your body in the way but I was never a top defender so you need to ask them how to stop him."

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