I want United job, admits Ole
Interim Manchester United manager Solskjaer revealed he wants to stay on beyond the summer after his side beat Newcastle 2-0 thanks to goals from Lukaku and Rashford
OLE GUNNAR Solskjaer last night claimed his fourth victory in a row as interim manager — then admitted he does not want to leave Manchester United in the summer.
Victory at Newcastle meant the Norwegian continued his 100 per cent start and he said: ‘I don’t want to (leave) — of course. It’s such a great bunch of players, fantastic atmosphere, but it’s the next game, it’s the next game.
‘I’m doing my job as long as I’m here. If you win four you can win another four with this club. That’s the challenge, that’s the standard we know. That used to be the challenge from the gaffer (Sir Alex Ferguson).’
Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring seconds after coming off the bench and Marcus Rashford — whose free-kick made Lukaku’s goal — hit the second.
‘He was composed and just passed it past the goalkeeper,’ Solskjaer said of the 21-year-old. ‘But his free-kicks ... the first one against Cardiff, and then he does it again, he’s got a great hit. He must have been watching Cristiano Ronaldo.’
Solskjaer will forever be celebrated as Manchester United’s ultimate supersub. In management, too, it would appear he has the knack of influencing a contest with a timely change.
Never did it take Solskjaer only 38 seconds to strike after his introduction, however. That is what Lukaku did here as his manager became only the second in the club’s history to win his first four league games in charge. Sir Matt Busby is the other and that’s not bad company to keep.
Lukaku needed only two minutes to score after coming on during Sunday’s 4-1 victory over Bournemouth — but he wasn’t hanging around even that long this time.
The Belgian had watched for 63 minutes as his team-mates toiled, a shadow of the side who had hit 12 goals in three games since being freed from Jose Mourinho’s smothering presence. United had a free-kick 25 yards from goal as Lukaku — joined by fellow sub Alexis Sanchez — trotted into position. Rashford took aim and when his dipping effort bounced just in front of Martin Dubravka, Lukaku took advantage of the goalkeeper’s spill.
It was a relief for Solskjaer and Sanchez then laid on the game-clinching second goal for Rashford ten minutes from time.
Solskjaer’s celebration in front of the travelling fans at full-time told of an interim appointment who wants more. But he will need to pass sterner tests than this before he is seriously considered for a permanent stay. Gary Neville said before the game he feels ‘sad’ for Newcastle. He would not have changed his opinion at the end.
Rafa Benitez has long been criticised for the negative tactics he employs against the top clubs.
His argument is that he is managing the meagre resources available to him, and he has a point given the club have returned a £2million profit over the last three transfer windows.
Yet here was a first-half showing in which they matched the visitors, even bettering them in terms of chances created.
The inclusion of Phil Jones at centre-back for United in place of the suspended Eric Bailly had perhaps given the hosts hope and they sought to exploit the space behind a leaden-footed backline.
Fabian Schar’s early hoist forward saw Christian Atsu give chase and trap the dropping ball with a touch belying his £5m fee.
Benitez, though, says you can add a zero to the cost of any player who can put the ball in the net — Atsu’s subsequent shot threatened the corner flag.
Another punt left Jones in a spin again and Ayoze Perez sent Salomon Rondon clear, only for the dithering defender to recover.
Paul Pogba was seeking to become only the second player, after Ronaldo, to score two goals or more in three straight Premier League matches for United but a 20-yard shot wide on the half hour was as close as he came.
Atsu had another chance in the second half but fired across goal, while Perez lost in a one-on-one with David De Gea, his own heavy touch allowing Luke Shaw to slide in and block the shot.
Jonjo Shelvey then tested De Gea with a low drive. United