OLE’S HISTORY LESSON

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER will try to engineer another significant FA Cup win over Liverpool tomorrow in the hope that it may reap great rewards for Manchester United again. It will be 22 years to the day since Solskjaer snatched a late winner as United came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 in a fourth round tie. That was the catalyst for Alex Ferguson’s side to go on and win the Treble in 1999 with more late goals, such as Ryan Giggs’s extra-time decider against Arsenal in the semi-final and Solskjaer’s dramatic Champions League final winner. As United and Liverpool prepare to meet at the same stage of the FA Cup at Old Trafford, Solskjaer was asked if his players can learn anything from the meeting in 1999. ‘Of course, we know that there are tight moments and fine margins,’ said the United boss. ‘In that season we were close to going out against Liverpool. Peter Schmeichel saved a penalty from Dennis Bergkamp in the semi-final in injury time. ‘Those moments, they gave us the mental advantage, especially in the semi-final. But against Liverpool as well, when you get that boost of turning 1-0 down to a 2-1 win against a big team, it’s massive.’ The tie comes a week after a goalless draw in the Premier League between the bitter rivals at Anfield. United were criticised for being too cautious against a struggling Liverpool side with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho as makeshift centre backs, but Solskjaer believes that was unfair. ‘We didn’t go out there to drop deep and try to soak up the pressure,’ he added. ‘We attacked every time we got the ball, maybe too much. ‘We kept giving it away. We went forward too quickly. The thought that we weren’t attacking, I don’t understand that one.’