Connect with us
Advertisement

Sports

Solskjaer Lauds Paul Pogba After Manchester United Victory

Published

on

Advertisement

New Manchester United head coach, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, after his side’s 3-1 victory over Huddersfield on Boxing Day stated that the club is now seeing the real Paul Pogba who scored twice during the match.

Solskjaer’s first match as the caretaker manager was his side’s 5-1 victory over Cardiff on Saturday.

During the match, Nemanja Matic, scored the opener, but Pogba sealed the game with two goals in the second-half, there has been a drastic change in the club following Jose Mourinho replacement.

Advertisement

Solskjaer coached Pogba as a youngster before the midfielder left for Juventus and United had to pay a then world record £89 million to bring him back in 2016.

“That’s the Paul I know,” said Solskjaer. “The Paul I’ve known since he was in the reserves and youth team with me.

“He has always been a happy boy, he’s always had a big smile on his face.”

Advertisement

“When you score a goal, or two, of course you are happy,” Solskjaer said.

“But when you play football for Man United you should be happy. Of course, it’s a responsibility, but it’s an honour and a privilege.

“Paul loves playing for this club. He’s a Man United boy through and through, a kid who knows what it means to play for Man United.”

Advertisement
Advertisement

Solskjaer has had a whirlwind week after temporarily leaving his role in charge of Molde to help out the club where he spent 11 seasons as a player.

It was extra special of course,” said Solskjaer of his return as manager to Old Trafford. “But I was surprisingly calm, the boys settled me down really quickly.

“It’s special to walk out there, hearing the crowd again singing my song – normally they started after I scored a goal, not before the game after I walked out!

“But it’s humbling and made me really proud. Hopefully, my family are proud and my family back home in Norway watching on telly.

“It was a great day, I will never ever forget, I’ll never forget these two games.”

Huddersfield claimed a late consolation as substitute Steve Mounie outjumped Pogba to head on an 88th minute Alex Pritchard free-kick, setting up Mathias Zanka who slotted in from close range.

“We have seen again today that they play with freedom,” said Huddersfield manager David Wagner of Solskjaer’s new-look United.

“They penetrate the ball in the right moments. In the first half we came under tremendous pressure but they play with freedom and they still have world-class players. We have seen that today.”