Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's whirlwind romance in the city of love

So this was the night Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was confirmed as the Manchester United manager. Ole is now, most definitely, at the wheel for good.

And to do it in a manner befitting his mentor Sir Alex Ferguson was almost too good to be true.
But that's what this remarkable, infectiously positive man can do.
Co-owner Avram Glazer will fly back to Florida with tales of a club transformed by the man who delivered them their greatest moment when he was a player.
Real Madrid are privy to try to prise Mauricio Pochettino away from Tottenham – United have found their ideal candidate to lead them back to summit of European football. And after an absolute thrill ride in Paris that simply beggared belief and logic, who would bet against him doing it before his caretaker reign is even up?

The result came 20 years on from United's most memorable triumph when they claimed the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, the latter after Solskjaer's own injury-time winner in the final against Bayern Munich.
The Norwegian has overseen a remarkable turnaround which has seen the side become the country's most in-form team, including away wins at Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and now PSG.
The former United striker has not only brought back the smiles to a side that was so abject before Christmas, but done so with outstanding tactical awareness and without the services of 10 first-team players.

With Ole at the wheel, anything seems possible.
To put this 3-1 win into perspective, it must be remembered the circumstances in which United headed into this Champions League round of 16 second leg against Paris Saint Germain.

Wembley 68', Barcelona 99', Barcelona and Moscow 2008. Added to that exclusive list now is Paris in 2019. Manchester United have had no shortage of historic, magical, never-to-be-forgotten European nights but this one is right up there.

The odds were stacked against United in Paris, but they became the first team in Champions League and European Cup history, at the 107th time of asking, to overcome a 2-0 or greater home first-leg deficit. If he was to do it, he'd have to do so without 10 first team players.
Included in his travelling squad were five academy starlets – one, Mason Greenwood, who only turned 17 in October.
By the end of the match, United had four home-grown talents on the pitch – two of them teenagers.
Marcus Rashford, with nerves of steel, struck the decisive goal – a last minute penalty with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

An Englishman from 12 yards – we've heard this story before. But the 21-year-old is one of those players so dramatically rejuvenated by Solskjaer's uplifting brand of management.
So too Romelu Lukaku – that flat track bully who struck twice against one of the favourites to lift this trophy to set up the most improbable of wins.

But this win was Solskjaer all over... dare we even begin to dream. Are we seeing shades of Roberto Di Matteo, the Chelsea legend who rode to the rescue of the Stamford Bridge side in 2012 and led them to an improbable Champions League triumph as caretaker manager.

That's now 14 wins from his 17 games in charge – his only defeat coming in the first leg to PSG, which he so dramatically expunged in front of the French champions' stunned fans.
United's, meanwhile, were singing long after the rest of the stadium had emptied – refusing to be drowned out by the Paris downpour.
When Ed Woodward made his SOS to Solskjaer, he could never have dreamed of it becoming his masterstroke as executive vice chairman. 

He has the unwavering support of the Glazers due to his genius methods in maximising United's commercial potential. But even the American businessmen cannot fail to have been caught up in the romance of Solskjaer's triumphant return to Old Trafford.
Avram's presence in Paris is evidence enough of that.
He has been a rare attendee of United games, but has now watched four in less than two months of Solskjaer's reign. That say a lot.

The man brought in to put a smile on the face of players and fans, while Woodward went about the business of luring Pochettino away from Spurs, has certainly lived up to his end of the bargain.

You would be hard pressed to find a single United fan who would swap the Norwegian for anyone right now.
Woodward cannot fail to ignore that.
Solskjaer has passed every test put before him and more.
The job is his – all that's left is to announce it.

Solskjaer's heroes become Man Utd legends

This was a night in which Manchester United made the Impossible dream possible again as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's heroic young team became the stuff of Old Trafford legend.
Heading to Paris 0-2 behind and seemingly down and out, it seemed a case of damage limitation rather than any genuine belief that we could manage a task akin to climbing Everest in slippers and without oxygen.
 Solskjaer's supporting cast become the first side ever to lose by two goals in the home leg and yet still make it through. Make no mistake about it, this is up there as one of the best results ever in our club's proud and illustrious history given everything that had gone before. 

 With Paul Pogba suspended and an injury list as long as your arm, United went to the daunting surroundings of the Parc des Princes with effectively a reserve side against a club widely regarded as among the favourites to go all the way. A team with £400m spent on it, and one that even without Neymar and Edinson Cavani, are star-studded, strongly fancied and genuine heavyweights - United were underdogs and had been written off.
Yet this was 100 extraordinary minutes that defied all logic as the unthinkable - Mission Impossible - only went and happened.The moral of the story: never, ever, count Manchester United out.

 A night in which Scott McTominay - for whom the jury remains very much out - came of age before our eyes. Tasked with keeping tabs on Marco Verratti and Marquinhos who were so impressive in the first leg, the young Scot was courageous, full of energy and stood strong. He visibly grew as a Man Utd player as other more established names wilted. Fred turned in the most impressive performance of his fledgling Old Trafford career so far -  he played at a good tempo, looked good on the ball, tackled well and pressed effectively.  On a big night for many of United’s fringe players, the Reds £52m Brazilian stepped up. Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof were again imperious at the heart of the defence as they shackled Kylian Mbappe superbly and forced the hottest prospect in the game to the fringes. Andreas Pereira did his job, and from David de Gea to Romelu Lukaku, United - to a man - were absolutely immense. Every player had the match of his life - we were brave, put a shift in, dug deep and refused to be cowed in the face of adversity. Defensively magnificent, organised to a T and clinical when the chances came. Say what you like about the late penalty - given with the intervention of VAR - but fortune favours the brave.

As for Marcus Rashford, what else can we say about this young man? Rashford had threatened intermittently in the match but, with United in need of one more goal, step forward the Academy graduate. Of course he took a pressure penalty unerringly in the World Cup shootout with Colombia for England, but here that pressure racheted up tenfold. His first ever Man Utd spot-kick, it was arguably the biggest and most pivotal moment of Rashford's United career so far. This is only his third full season as a fully-fledged Red but there was never any doubt in his mind as he faced what seemed like an eternity before pitting his wits against one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. It was a death or glory moment, a moment that will now forever be remembered as the crowning glory on one of THE great European nights.

 To step up with the weight of 659 million people on your shoulders, still only at the tender age of 21, with the chance to write yourself into Old Trafford folklore, tells you everything you need to know. Had he missed, it could have changed the course of his career. Smashing the spot-kick high beyond the helpless Gigi Buffon, United completed the turnaround and did what no one thought possible, all thanks to the intervention of one of our own. If that doesn't epitomise what this club is all about, then I don't know what does.

If we had lost, I don’t think I would ever have felt more pride in United in defeat. Ole threw on Tahith Chong and also Mason Greenwood, handing the 17-year-old a debut on the biggest stage. This was Manchester United; this is everything we want to see from the club we love.

Ole's at the wheel!

Match report: PSG 1-3 Man Utd (3-3 agg)

Marcus Rashford wrote himself into Man Utd folklore with a late VAR-assisted penalty as Ole Solskjaer's side did what had seemed impossible.
The Reds became the first side to overturn a two-goal first leg home deficit to gloriously and historically progress to the quarter-finals on away goals after Rashford nervelessly thumped home the spot-kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Referee Dario Skomina had initially given a corner but reviewed the video technology after Diogo Dalot's shot had deflected off the arm of Presnel Kimpembe.

Missing ten first team players and going to the formidale setting of the Parcs des Princes 0-2 behind after defeat at Old Trafford, few - if any - had given Ole's side even a prayer of getting through. PSG, after all, were widely considered as among the favourites for the Champions League crown.
They had reckoned without this club's famed powers of recovery, and it took United only two minutes to halve the arrears. A waywardly loose backpass from Thilo Kehrer was seized upon by the lurking Romelu Lukaku, and the in-form Belgian raced through, rounded the advancing Gigi Buffon and slid the ball in from the tightest of angles.

That shook Thomas Tuchel's side into life and thereafter came a period of sustained pressure as United were forced to dig deep and hang on. United  survived a couple of close calls but were unable to prevent Juan Bernat levelling the proceedings; the Spanish left-back arrived at the far post to convert a low cross from Kylian Mbappe, who had got in behind the Reds’ defence on PSG’s right.
Angel Di Maria flashed an effort wide and then had a goal correctly chalked off by the linesman. David de Gea saved well from Bernat after Dani Alves had played him in, before speedster Kylian Mbappe went close with a snapshot.
Having weathered the predicted Parisian storm, and despite the hosts boasting 86% of the ball, United went ahead again on the half-hour mark. Rashford's speculative effort should have been easy for Buffon, but the legendary veteran instead spilled the ball straight into the path of Lukaku who gobbled up the chance for his six goal in three games. United now only needed one more to go through, as hope had turned to belief and then a semblance of expectation.

Lukaku became the first Red since Ronaldo in 2006 to score a brace in three successive matches.
Diogo Dalot replaced the hapless Eric Bailly and the Reds looked more comfortable and at ease.
Ashley Young switched to a more familiar right-back role and made  hugely important interception on the hour mark when the always dangerous Mbappe tried to find Di Maria.

 Ole insisted all his young players were ready should they be needed and Tahith Chong, fresh from coming on against Southampton, joined the action 10 minutes from time in place of Andreas Pereira, while 17-year-old Mason Greenwood made his United debut soon after in place of Young.
De Gea blocked from substitute Thomas Meunier, a last ditch challenge from Chris Smalling thwarted Mbappe and Bernat then fired off a post.

Time had begun to run out for the Reds, with PSG clinging to their slender 3-2 aggregate advantage and seemingly on course for the last eight.
Then came the moment United had been looking for when Dalot's shot struck Kimpembe's arm and deflected away for a corner. After the referee agonisingly deliberated for what felt like an eternity, he gave the spot-kick. Rashford showed nerves of steel and guts aplenty to take responsibility for the kick, and he smashed it high beyond Buffon to prompt wild celebrations on the pitch, on the touchline, in the stands and all the way back to Manchester. United were forced to survive an inexplicable ten added minutes before the miracle of Paris was remarkably complete.

Overall team performance: 9/10
United Faithful Man of the Match: There were fourteen Herculean heroes pretty in pink out there but we're giving this to Romelu Lukaku. He can't stop scoring. 

Match preview: Paris Saint-Germain v Man Utd (Agg 2-0)

A confident and defiant Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has emphasised his in-form Manchester United side will travel to France with the belief that a successful comeback can be staged against Paris Saint-Germain, continuing the club’s rich history of fighting back against the odds.

Thomas Tuchel’s Ligue 1 champions earned a 2-0 win from last month’s UEFA Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at Old Trafford and, as a result, they are now the favourites to go through. The heavyweight Parisian giants are widely tipped to go all the way in Europe, despite never having progressed beyond the quarter finals of the competition.

The Reds must win by at least three clear goals in Paris to secure an aggregate win, which is a tall order with so many players currently unavailable due to injury – and with Paul Pogba suspended. 

That means that all of United's first choice midfield - Pogba, along with injured Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera - will miss out, as well as two thirds of the front line in Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial.

 

 Scott McTominay, Fred and Andreas Pereira will all be in contention for a place. Ahead of them, Alexis Sanchez looks likely to miss Wednesday’s match after he picked up a knee injury during the 3-2 win against Southampton with the Chilean ruled out for up to six weeks. Juan Mata is injured, as are full-backs Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian. However, in more positive news, the Reds will be able to call upon Marcus Rashford at the Parc de Princes after the striker recovered from an ankle injury to play 90 minutes against Southampton on Saturday. Solskjaer's stretched-to-the-limit, threadbare squad of 20 players contains eight Academy graduates and six teenagers.

Tuchel's side  remain without talismanic striker Neymar due to a metatarsal injury suffered during their Coupe de France victory over Strasbourg in January. Fellow forward Edinson Cavani missed the game at Old Trafford due to a hip injury and, while the Parisians hope to have the Uruguayan back in training before the clash, it remains unlikely that he will start on Wednesday night. Thomas Meunier was out between 9 and 26 February with a head injury but returned to score the third goal in their 3-0 French Cup quarter-final win over Dijon.

Despite the almost impossible nature of United's task, mountains are there to be climbed and Solskjaer remains adamant that a victory can be secured.

He said:  “We know it is going to be a very, very tough game. We know that are we playing against one of the best teams in Europe with some absolutely quality players.  “Who knows? It has happened before. This club has had so many great comebacks. The Champions League in the last few years has also given quite a few of those comebacks - PSG against Barcelona, even though it is the other way around now, because we have to do it away from home. 

“But we have got straight eight straight away wins so we are confident away from home. If we are in the game with 20 to 30 minutes to go then who knows.” 

 

United may still have plenty to play for as we move into March, but it's safe to say that Tuchel's team will be crowned Ligue 1 for the sixth time in seven seasons, even at this early stage. They currently sit 17 points clear of second placed Lille with a game in hand having lost only three of 40 competitive ties in 2018-19. The Champions League remains the apple of the owner's eyes however, and it is that on which their success, or otherwise, is measured by. 

Travelling United squad: De Gea, Romero, Grant; Bailly, Dalot, Lindelof, Rojo, Shaw, Smalling, Williams, Young; Fred, Garner, Gomes, McTominay, Pereira; Chong, Greenwood, Lukaku, Rashford.

 

Form guide: PSG W W W W W W Man Utd W L W D W W 

Match odds: PSG 3/1 Draw 19/5 Man Utd 11/2

Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia) 

Let's ride the Solskjaer train all the way to Wembley and the top three

It may be of those tired, well-worn lazy cliches that have unpalatably crept into the football dialect with the saturation of the TV deal, but never has the phrase "take one game at a time" been more apt.
Such was the nature of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's interim appointment, that the manager's remit didn't - not initially at least - seem merely about results.
When he came in, it literally was a case of looking no further that the end of your own nose for Messrs Solskjaer, Phelan, Carrick and McKenna.
That may seem unusual for a club the size and stature of Manchester United, a club that exists as a relentless winning machine, but it was more about the rediscovery of the club's identity, creating harmomy, instilling team spirit and a five-month free hit in which to get the fans back onside.
As it's transpired, we're in a position that if you had told us was possible two months ago, we'd have laughed with in credulity. If I told you that, with ten games left, we'd be pushing not only for a top four finish but in the mix for third place, no one would have believed me. Just another deluded Man Utd fan, they'd have muttered.

There was widely considered to be only one man the Old Trafford hierarchy had their hearts and eyes set on to become Jose Mourinho's long term successor at United. Even when Solskjaer was appointed, there was only one name on everyone's lips. Who ever would have thought that Mauricio Pochettino would be a man under far more pressure, and facing far more questions than answers, than Solskjaer at this stage. The pendulum has swung so dramatically that it now seems merely a case of when, rather than if, King Ole of Norway gets the coronation he so deserves. There still remains one man we all now want - but instead it is Solskjaer, not Pochettino. Don't get me wrong, Poch is not a bad manager by any stretch, but how can we do anything other than, indeed, make Ole permanent.

It is a scarcely believable chain of events that have seen not only the stars align for our 20LEGEND but an entire galaxy of stars. He is moving the planets and the earth in a run that has seen him, and the team, eclipse even the greatest managerial maestro of them all. Not even Sir Alex Ferguson pulled off eight successive away wins. Never has the mood, form or entire raison d'etre of a football club been flipped on its head so dramatically and emphatically.

United have resembled an unstoppable, runaway locomotive since Solskjaer arrived to take the wheel. Derailed and taken wildly off course by the previous train crew, chief conductor Ole has got everything back on track (pun intended) with the Solskjaer express steaming up the line whilst those ahead of us hit the buffers and grind to a halt. The train named United is rapidly storming into the rear view mirror and has shows no sign of slowing down.

 Closer to the bottom three and with Wolves, Everton and even West Ham and Watford in hot pursuit, United were on a journey going nowhere when Solskjaer took the reigns. Eleven and thirteen points behind Chelsea in fourth and Tottenham in third, there seemed no way back. Train cancelled due to emergency engineering works. A gap - no, a chasm - that seemed insurmountable as the 21st century rolled into its 19th year, has been bridged in a meagre 73 days. Now, three points shy of a teeteting Tottenham, that journey has rapidly changed direction into an undisputed upward trajectory.

 This particular train is one that I never want to get off of, and I hope that this is a journey that continues all the way to Wembley for the FA Cup final, and then on to the destination marked third place. And then on to next season's title, and, from there, overseas to Istanbul for the Champions League final in 2020. OK, I'm getting carried away, but it just goes to show that Ole and co have given us back that most precious commodity of all. Belief.

King Ole's United win Southampton thriller in vintage style

When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed interim manager in December following Jose Mourinho's dismissal, third place looked a distant dream for United.

They're now three points behind third-placed Tottenham and will move four points ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal with eight matches remaining if we beat the Gunners in their own backyard (again) next weekend.
United's 10th win in 12 top-flight games under Solskjaer was perhaps their most entertaining match of his reign so far.

 United, who had failed to win their previous three home games, looked like they would have to settle for a point after James Ward-Prowse's free-kick made it 2-2. For a while, it even looked as though Ralph Hassenhuttl's dogged, resilent and determined Saints would upset the Old Trafford apple cart and claim their third victory here in five years. United had only beaten Southampton twice at home since the south coast side were promoted back to the Premier League in 2012.  Once again, struggling Saints (although you wouldn't know it from this showing) forced United to dig deep and pushed them to the very limit.

 Here's the strange thing: despite the frantic, tense, topsy turvy nature  of a thrillingly unpredictable tie - coupled with Southampton's impressive recent record against us - I never feared for United. Call it arrogance, call it confidence, call it whatever you will. I always felt that Man Utd were going to win this, one way or t'other. How many times have we been able to say that over the past few years. It speaks volumes of the confidence, belief and unstinting determination that Ole has instilled in not only our team, but us fans too. I always knew we'd somehow find a way, as we have done so many times before. It felt like the vintage United from the halycon days of yesteryear.

The fear and nervous trepidation of the Mourinho 'era' are as much a pipedream as a top four finish was upon Ole's appointment. We've got our club back and there's only one man (or perhaps two) responsible for that.

 However, there is a never-say-die spirit about Solskjaer's United - the epitome of the great sides he was such a key part of - and Lukaku whipped off his shirt in celebration after hitting the winner - the 113th Premier League goal of his career. As Lukaku spun and rifled home, Old Trafford erupted but, for Solskjaer, there was no great fanfare. Stood on the touchline applauding calmly, he is a man aiming for more than merely a top three finish. The title may be beyond us this season, but it begs the question: what could have happened had he started his rescue mission earlier. For a man brought up with and accustomed to winning, Solskjaer has the long term vision of putting this club back on top in his sights. As ever, Ole strikes the right chord with the fans.

If ever there was a game that summed up what our club is and should be about, this was that game. It had everything - Old Trafford's very own Goal of the Season competition, chances galore, a crackling atmosphere, excitement aplenty, drama, and most satisfyingly of all, a classic late United comeback. I've enjoyed the last few months more than the past six years combined.

There was still time for Pogba to miss from the penalty spot after Stuart Armstrong had fouled Marcus Rashford, but even that failed to dampen the mood of the home fans.
Surely it can only be a matter of time before United's hierarchy make Solskjaer's appointment permanent. If - no - WHEN, he is announced as our next permament manager, Mike Phelan simply must stay at his side.

 This is what it means to be United. Edge of the seat, sweaty palms, heart pumping. God I’ve missed those days. Thank you for giving us our club back Ole, Mike. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, like being a Red.

Match report: Man Utd 3-2 Southampton

Romelu Lukaku popped up with a potentially pivotal and priceless winner as United won a superbly see-sawing contest two minutes from the end. In a five goal thriller at Old Trafford, United fell behind, went ahead, got pegged back again before we finally prevailed,
Ralph Hassenhuttl's brave but ultimately beaten Saints belied their lowly league position with an impressive display of resilience, determination and flashes of quality in their quest for a third Old Trafford victory in five seasons.

Yan Valery - the latest in a long production line of homegrown Saints talent - opened his account in style and that was to be an advantage that the south coast side held until the break. Back came United through Andreas Pereira and Romelu Lukaku, only for the in-form James Ward - Prowse to make it 2-2.
But just when it looked as though United were set to drop points for the second weekend in a row at home, the Reds refused to lie down as the much-maligned Lukaku spun and slammed in the winner and Old Trafford erupted. Paul Pogba could have put the result beyond doubt even later, but United were made to sweat right to the end after his spot-kick was saved by Angus Gunn.

The result takes United back above Arsenal, who we play in a totemic-looking tussle in north London next week, and into fourth place. Not only that, but we're also somehow hot on the heels of a faltering Tottenham side, now only three points behind Mauricio Pochettino's out of form team.
All this seemed merely a pipe dream upon Solskjaer's appointment back in December amidst a season that was going nowhere.

From the outset, it had looked as though this would be one of those that we occasionally encounter against supposedly inferior opponents. Gunn saved well from Lukaku inside five minutes, then tipped over Pereira's dangerous cross-shot. Within minutes, Gunn continued to earn his corn as he blocked bravely to keep out Lukaku from point blank range.

Southampton rallied quickly after the early intense pressure and had an appeal for a penalty turned down by referee Stuart Attwell after an untidy tangle between Chris Smalling and Ryan Bertrand. Following United’s lively start, the Reds went somewhat flat but, completely out of the blue, found ourselves a goal behind

Southampton swept the ball from left to right and full-back Valery stormed forward to receive the ball 30 yards out. It takes some doing to beat David De Gea from there but the 20-year-old French-Tunisian surprised everybody with an explosive thunderbolt that shot past the helpless Spaniard.

United were struggling to get any rhythm back but Luke Shaw almost undid his former club with an inviting cross that both Marcus Rashford and Lukaku contrived to miss completely in the penalty area. The Belgian then failed to make full contact with an enticing Pereira delivery.

 The Reds recent injury crisis continued when Alexis Sanchez - anonymous again - was forced off six minutes after the restart. Step forward Andreas. The Academy graduate turned the game on its head with a strike that will surely sit right up there as a Goal of the Month contender. He thumped in a curling piledriver and then, with Saints resolve broken, fed Lukaku who turned and drilled in the second six minutes later to put us 2-1 ahead.

This was a game increasingly holding its own internal Goal of the Season competition but, unfortunately, it was Southampton's turn next. Ashley Young was penalised for a foul, perhaps harshly, and, from 30 yards out, Ward-Prowse thundered in a screamer of a set-piece beyond De Gea to make it 2-2.

It took the sting completely out of United’s second-half comeback and it was now Southampton’s turn to take up the threat in a match that was swinging violently from one side to the other as the teams slugged it out for victory.

But the attacking mode was then grabbed back by the Reds as Old Trafford overflowed with excitement again. Substitute Fred managed to slip a ball to Lukaku and the hitman rolled round defender Jan Bednarek and fired the ball low past Gunn for the third. He took his shirt off in celebration but you can be sure he'll happily take the booking.

Pogba had the chance to end any chance of a nail-biting finale when he was handed the opportunity of a fourth goal from the spot after Rashfird was brought down by Stuart Armstrong inside the box, deep into injury time.

However, the Frenchman’s penalty was saved by early hero Gunn who had the final say by kicking out a leg to divert it to safety, but not the winning one as United triumphed in a see-saw entertaining bout to go fourth in the table. 

 Overall team performance: 8/10

United Faithful Man of the Match: Andreas Pereira. Magnificent coming of age showing.