Solskjaer: We need to build momentum
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his Manchester United side need to “try to build momentum” after Anthony Martial’s penalty secured their first away win since March at Partizan Belgrade. It ensured United moved top of their Europa League group and will qualify for the knockout stages if they beat Partizan in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford on 7 November.
“We need to win away from home in the league, but another clean sheet and that gives you a platform to win games from,” said Solskjaer, whose team last won a Premier League away game in February at Crystal Palace.
Martial, making his first start since August, sent Vladimir Stojkovic the wrong way from 12 yards after United’s 19-year-old defender Brandon Williams won the spotkick.
Williams’ burst forward to draw a foul from Nemanja Miletic was one of the the few bright spots in an otherwise uninspiring United display.
It helped Solskjaer’s team to their first win away from home in 11 attempts with their only shot on target.
Williams and 18-year-old midfielder James Garner were among seven changes made by United’s Norwegian boss from the side that started in the Premier League against Liverpool on Sunday.
And initially at least, United controlled possession, with Scott McTominay wastefully heading Juan Mata’s free-kick wide and Jesse Lingard’s curling effort striking the right-hand post. However, the hosts carved out chances of their own with on-loan Roma forward Umar Sadiq bending a 20-yard strike against the post. United keeper Sergio Romero superbly preserved the visitors’ lead by parrying Seydouba Soumah’s drive after the midfielder cut past Harry Maguire, as Solskjaer’s side hung on to record their first win on their travels since their Champions League victory over Paris St-Germain.
Meanwhile, former United midfielder Paul Scholes accused the team of playing ‘like a team of strangers’ after their 1-0 win. Scholes slammed United’s lack of quality in the final third and said he expected more on the back of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool. “I think after the Liverpool game there was a little bit of encouragement,’ he said to BT Sport. ‘But then you come back to tonight and it seems very similar to the start of the season,” he said.
“It’s like a team of strangers, it’s like they’ve never played with each other before. There’s no link between the midfield players and the strikers. The weight of pass at times was so bad.
“You want to be encouraged you want to see some bits of good play now and again, a one-two here and there, the number 10 receiving the ball on the half turn, but there’s a lack of encouragement.
“I think defensively they were quite poor as well tonight,’ he added.
“Second half there was only one team that looks like scoring. I don’t see anything. A lot of the games they’re going to have the ball but they have to be cleverer.”
United’s win was their first on the road since they beat Paris SaintGermain in the Champions League back in March and leaves them top of Europa League Group L with seven points from three games.