Great Scott enjoys Ole’s anniversary
WATCHING Manchester United hit Leeds for six on the weekend of his second anniversary in charge at Old Trafford, it would have been easy for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to get a little carried away. But as happy as he was with a scintillating display, the United boss was not ready to get dragged into any title talk after his side moved up to third in the table with a game in hand on the rest of the top six. ‘It’s 13 games into the season, we’re not even at the halfway point,’ said Solskjaer. ‘We’re a work in progress. We’re getting better, fitter and stronger, but there are still a few details to nail. Let’s talk about the title later on — the league position isn’t even something we’re looking at. ‘But it’s easier to sit here today and say I’m seeing more of a Man United team I like. I’ve really enjoyed the last two years and I really enjoyed today.’ United won at home in the Premier League for only the second time this season, scoring twice as many goals in one game as the previous six combined. Having criticised his team for their slow starts, Solskjaer saw Scott McTominay score twice in the opening three minutes. The Scotland midfielder also assisted the fifth goal for Dan James, before going off with a groin injury. ‘Scott is a physical monster,’ said Solskjaer. ‘He can win in the air and he wins tackles, but he’s so strong and quick as well. ‘He ran into the space that we hoped he would get. It was good work by the other players to create the space, and good finishes. ‘I have to stop Scott from doing that sometimes. He used to be a striker as a kid and he is an attacking midfielder by nature. But when he sees space in front of him, why stop him?’ Solskjaer’s only complaint was referee Anthony Taylor’s decision to book Dan James when he went down in the box under Liam Cooper’s challenge. ‘Shocking refereeing,’ added the United manager. ‘It does my head in when he gets a yellow card when he should have had a penalty — it’s a foul. ‘He’s been labelled a diver, but his pace is impossible to stop. If he (Cooper) turns ahead and runs with him, Dan’s past him.’ Leeds’ wide-open tactics were ruthlessly exploited as Marcelo Bielsa conceded six goals as a manager for the first time in 28 years. Bielsa was unrepentant, however, despite seeing his team thrashed in the first top-flight meeting between the clubs since 2004. ‘It’s very difficult to take,’ he said. ‘We’re very sad. I regret that we weren’t able to make more of the game. We will correct things, but we will not abandon the way we play.’ Stuart Dallas, who scored Leeds’ second goal, admitted that their style is always likely to leave them exposed. ‘We’re hurting a lot,’ said Dallas. ‘We know how much this meant to a lot of people. The way we play, we are open to conceding goals.’