Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OLE OLE OLE SOLSKJAER
EVERYBODY, it seems, has been swept up in the euphoria created by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stunning impact at Manchester United.
When the Reds landed back in Manchester in the early hours of yesterday, following their epic Champions League win away against Paris Saint-germain, armed police on duty at the airport greeted the triumphant caretaker boss with a round of applause.
It was a similar story in the jubilant away dressing room at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night, with United players chanting Solskjaer’s name, following his latest heroic act since taking charge of a club that had lost its way under Jose Mourinho.
The historic victory in the French capital, achieved against all the odds with United missing 10 senior players and Solskjaer forced to field a makeshift side including fringe and youth players, ended any debate over whether the 46-year-old (left) should get the job permanently.
United are into the quarterfinals of the Champions League, have won nine straight away games for the first time in their history, and head to Arsenal on Sunday believing they can maintain that remarkable run on the road to get closer to leapfrogging Tottenham into third spot.
After the miracle of Paris, there is a feeling anything is possible under Solskjaer, the former striker having restored the verve and passion, synonymous with United under Sir Alex Ferguson, that subsequent bosses David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho drained from the players and fans.
None of the teams left in the Champions League will fancy facing the resurgent Reds in the quarter-final draw next Friday, while Solskjaer’s haul of 32 points from 36 in the Premier League – in which he remains unbeaten – is title-winning form.
He has hauled United out of the pit of despair they found themselves in after Mourinho’s sacking, transforming
confidence and form among players with astute manmanagement and an instinctive understanding of how the team should play.
Romelu Lukaku, who scored twice in United’s 3-1 win in Paris to take his tally to six in his last three games, revealed how the caretaker boss has managed to get the best out of the players and transform a season that was in danger of being written off.
“He’s done a lot,” said Lukaku (right). “For the team, he’s made us play offensive football. He gives the young players confidence. he’s tough, but at the right time. He knows also to give a compliment.
“In training, we do a lot of small games, a lot of focus on our offensive part of the game, and that’s what the players like. So, we just try to come into every match and win.
“We’re doing really well, we’re playing like Manchester
United should play.
“He’s a young coach and has young players as well, so it’s the perfect environment to develop and hopefully win trophies in the future.” It is now a matter of when, not if, United confirm Solskjaer as their permanent boss, with Lukaku admitting there is nothing more the Norwegian can do to secure the job. “I think it’s been decided,” said the Reds striker. “I think he is going to get it. He should get it. “Look at the games we’ve played. Everysometimes body was talking after the first four matches because we played, with all respect, against lesser opposition.
“But then we won at Tottenham away, Chelsea away, at Arsenal in the FA Cup and now this game. What else does he have to do?”
In Solskjaer, United now have the man to lead them out of the gloom of the postferguson era and back to the top at home and abroad.
With Ole at the wheel, United have moved off the hard shoulder and are now back in the fast lane, where they belong.