Six matches that earned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the Manchester United job

Manchester United have named Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the club’s manager on a three-year deal following a successful spell as caretaker boss.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been named Manchester United manager (Picture: PA)Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been named Manchester United manager (Picture: PA)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been named Manchester United manager (Picture: PA)

Here, we take a look at six matches that helped the Norwegian get the job on a full-time basis.

Solskjaer enjoyed a dream start to life at the helm as United scored five goals in a Premier League match for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, winning 5-1 in the Welsh capital. Marcus Rashford scored after just three minutes, while Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard (two) were also on target.

Tottenham (a)

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Solskjaer came through his toughest test so far with a 1-0 win at Wembley. However, he was indebted to David De Gea for a superb goalkeeping display as he became the first manager in the club’s history to win their first six games in charge.

Arsenal (a)

Alexis Sanchez scored on his return to the Emirates Stadium as Solskjaer’s unprecedented winning run as United boss continued with a 3-1 triumph in the FA Cup fourth round.

Chelsea (a)

Solskjaer’s United bounced back from their first-leg defeat against PSG in the Champions League with an impressive display to dump holders Chelsea out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 fifth-round win at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool (h)

Solskjaer showed he can handle adversity by adapting to first-half injuries to Herrera, Juan Mata and his replacement Lingard, all of whom had to be substituted, to keep the Premier League leaders at arm’s length for a creditable goalless draw.

Paris St Germain (a)

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Lukaku scored a brace for the third game in a row as United overcame a 2-0 first-leg deficit to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals after a 3-1 win at Parc Des Princes. Lukaku scored either side of a Juan Bernat strike but it was in stoppage time that the real drama happened. Diogo Dalot’s shot hit Presnel Kimpembe on the arm and, after a VAR review, referee Damir Skomina pointed to the spot and Rashford kept his cool to convert.