Manchester derby: Solskjaer not pressing panic button ahead of City fixture

United has won the last two league derbies against City and Solskjaer said the positive approach that served it well in those victories was the blueprint it would follow.

Solskjaer remains upbeat, however, and said his players have shown an ability to bounce back from setbacks before. Victory over City would be the perfect response to the critics.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is back in the spotlight ahead of Saturday's derby against Manchester City but says he's not pressing the panic button after its midweek Champions League exit.

Four successive Premier League victories have hoisted United into the top six after a woeful start to the campaign, but a 3-2 defeat at RB Leipzig on Tuesday rekindled speculation about the Norwegian's future at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer remains upbeat, however, and said his players have shown an ability to bounce back from setbacks before. Victory over City would be the perfect response to the critics.

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"Any player that plays football should be disappointed when you lose a game. They want to bounce back and win the next one," Solskjaer told reporters. "We've handled setbacks well, during games and before the next game.

"It's important not to press the panic button because you can't win every game. Some games will hurt more than others and have more consequences than others. We're facing the reality of no Champions League and we move on."

United has won the last two league derbies against City and Solskjaer said the positive approach that served it well in those victories was the blueprint it would follow.

"We want to get on the front foot straight away, goals impact games and when you get the first goal it's easier," Solskjaer told reporters.

"That's something we want to get to in this game, we've done well against City in the last few games against them early on."

Despite the Champions League exit from a group containing last season's runner-up Paris St Germain and semi-finalist Leipzig, Solskjaer insists United has made progress.

"It's been a step," Solskjaer said. "We played against two top teams, one reached the final and one in semi-final last year, we've learnt any small mistake will get punished.

"We were very close to going through in a very good group, that shows me a team moving forward from drawing to Colchester and barely beating Rochdale.

"We still have a little bit of a way to go to of course compete and go and win the Champions League because that's our aim to win trophies and be contenders."

Solskjaer said forward Anthony Martial would "definitely" be involved against City while Edinson Cavani, injured last week against West Ham United, was also in contention.