‘Hungry’ Cavani saves Devils
Super-sub in spires ManUtd fight back after going two goals down against Saints
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER praised Edinson Cavani’s “hunger” for goals after the Uruguay striker inspired Manchester United’s thrilling 3-2 win against Southampton on Sunday. Solskjaer’s side were facing a dismal defeat after first half goals from Jan Bednarek and James WardProwse put Southampton in control at St Mary’s.
But Cavani sparked United’s escape act after coming on at the interval.
Cavani set up Bruno Fernandes to reduce the deficit and the former Paris Saint-Germain star grabbed the equaliser from his teammate’s deflected shot.
The 33-year-old netted again in the final moments as his third goal since signing as a free agent in October extended United’s winning run to four games in all competitions.
“Great impact of course. He is a No. 9 who wants to be in between the posts, he is always on the move. I’m very pleased with him,” Solskjaer said.
“On the training pitch, in the dressing room and during meal times, how meticulous he is. He knows what he wants to eat, how much he wants to recover – everything!
“It was top movement and his timing is fantastic. His hunger to get on the end of things is the key for a centreforward.
“Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it doesn’t but to score you have to be in there.
“Edinson has been around the block and scored so many goals and played football for so long. He’s been between those posts so many times, he’s seen this game before, he’s scored that goal before.
“He knows exactly where to move and his best friend in the box is what Sir Alex always used to tell me: ‘Your best friend in the box is space’, and he gets into that space with perfect timing.”
It was exactly the kind of influential display Solskjaer was hoping
for from Cavani when he moved for him after United’s failed pursuit of Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho.
Written off as a panic buy in some quarters, Cavani proved his age should be no barrier to making an impact in the Premier League.
He is only the second player to be directly involved in three goals in a Premier League game after coming on as a substitute for United since Solskjaer scored four against Nottingham Forest in 1999.
United climbed to seventh place, two points adrift of the Champions League places, after setting a club record of eight successive away Premier League wins.
“It is a trait of Manchester United to never give in. Every single one of them, there was absolutely no chance they were going to give up. That’s a big thing for a Manchester United player,” Solskjaer said.
“I was quite calm at halftime. We must have had five or six clearcut chances, so it was about taking them when we got the chance.”
United goalkeeper David de Gea came off at halftime with a knee injury and Solskjaer said: “Hopefully he can be okay for Wednesday but I’m not
sure.”