Manchester United comeback 'like the old days' for Solskjaer

Manchester United beat Southampton courtesy of an 88th-minute winner to leave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer feeling nostalgic.

Published : Mar 03, 2019 02:21 IST

Romelu Lukaku (R) leads celebrations against Southampton
Romelu Lukaku (R) leads celebrations against Southampton
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Romelu Lukaku (R) leads celebrations against Southampton

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer  compared Manchester United's dramatic 3-2 win over  Southampton  on Saturday to "the old days" of thrilling late victories.

United went behind at Old Trafford to a  Yan Valery  strike in the first half and, having gone 2-1 up through  Andreas Pereira  and  Romelu Lukaku,  the side was pegged back by James Ward-Prowse's free-kick.

However, Lukaku struck another sublime goal in the 88th minute to secure three points that lifts United back into the top four of the  Premier League  at the expense of Arsenal.

And Solskjaer, who famously scored the injury-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final, felt there was an element of nostalgia to United's triumph.

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"The manner of it is like the old days," he said. "I have been part of it so many times myself. I'm so pleased for the boys – they managed to claw three points out of this game.

"You forget you are tired. You just run and you want that ball delivered around the box. We have done it so many times. As a manager, that is not the way you want to enjoy the first 90 minutes. You want to be comfortable.

"We should have been two up in the first five minutes. [There were] some great saves by the kid. Those two strikes for them – absolute quality.

"We spoke at half-time: get more urgency, get the ball in the box, and the strength of them [the fans] will suck the ball in. I don't want to take too much from Andreas and Romelu as they were great finishes, but that is part of the history."

Lukaku missed two good early chances that were saved by Angus Gunn before he struck twice with two clinical right-foot finishes.

"He is a quality goalscorer," said Solskjaer of the Belgium striker, who scored the opening goal of the 3-1 win at Crystal Palace last time out.

"We need to have him more in front of the goal, but he has done fantastic in his work rate, attitude, he loves scoring goals, he smiles every day, he does extra shooting in training. He has got the goalscorer's quality."

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Solskjaer also praised Pereira's impact, as he scored his first league goal for the club with a sublime effort from 25 yards out.

"I'm so pleased for him, so happy," he said. "He has gone through the academy, he has loads of energy and drive. Maybe we found a better position for him. He is more of a number eight or 10 than a six.

"A goal and an assist, it is a nice day to remember. Young kids, when they get criticism, there is nothing better than seeing them grab their chance."

- We were not far away - Hasenhuttl praises beaten Saints -

Ralph Hasenhuttl was proud of his Southampton players after the last-gasp 3-2 defeat on Saturday.

"The guys are very, very disappointed after the game," Hasenhuttl told the club's official website.

"They put everything on the pitch that was possible and gave a fantastic performance.

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"Mainly the first half but also in the second half we showed that we were very, very focused on our match plan and we wanted to get something here.

"We were not far away from it and also at 2-1 we did not stop attacking them and creating chances.

"Ward-Prowse scored a fantastic free-kick, it was a gorgeous goal and it's a pity that Lukaku decided the game for them.

"To be proud is one thing but when you wake up tomorrow and you feel that you lost, nobody asks how you lost. No manager likes to lose and we had a big chance but it was not enough."

The defeat leaves Southampton in 17th place, two points above Cardiff City.

- Solskjaer fears ligament damage for Sanchez -

Solskjaer also added that Alexis Sanchez may have suffered knee ligament damage.

Sanchez started the game but had to be substituted early in the second half after appearing to hurt his right knee following a challenge with Saints defender Jan Bednarek.

"We don't know, we will do a scan tomorrow. It might be the ligaments. Hopefully it will not be too bad," said Solskjaer.

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