We’vefinally realised we are Man Utd
MAN UTD ..... 4 BOURNEMOUTH ..... 1
“Maybe we have just realised we’re Manchester United and we need to be at the top of the league.
“You’ve seen the reaction of the players. Everyone is enjoying themselves and that’s what we need. We need to enjoy playing football and that gets results on the pitch.”
The longer Solskjaer manages United the worse Mourinho’s previous reign looks.
Stars like Pogba, Rashford and Anthony Martial appear reborn and he has even managed to get Lukaku scoring again.
They have helped United produce a brand of football supporters demand but that was previously lacking.
There will be much sterner tests to come for Solskjaer and United but this Christmas he appears to have given longsuffering fans their club back.
Solskjaer scored three hat-tricks for United during his glittering career with the club but this one is the most significant of all as he becomes just the third United boss in history to win his first three games in charge.
Not even the great Sir Alex Ferguson managed this.
But there are two sides to every story and the one unfolding with the Cherries makes grim reading for all connected with the club.
Eddie Howe’s men are in freefall following nine defeats in their last 11 outings in all competitions. Unless he can arrest this slide the minnows will face a desperate scrap to beat the drop.
United, meanwhile, are riding a wave of nostalgia and euphoria under Solskjaer – and it was one that swamped the visitors.
Pogba put United ahead inside the opening five minutes following a blistering start from the hosts. Rashford showed a glimpse of his remarkable gifts by skinning Nathan Ake and Diego Rico on the byeline before crossing for Pogba to net from close range.
“What a goal” mouthed Solskjaer on the sidelines but it was just the start of a scintillating first half from United reminiscent of the football they used to produce under Fergie.
Pogba, revelling in a free and advanced role behind Rashford, went close along with the 21-year-old forward and Martial.
United doubled their lead in 33 minutes when Pogba rose above Asmir Begovic to head home Ander Herrera’s cross.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors in 45 minutes when Rashford met Martial’s cross to make it 3-0. But United again failed to keep a clean sheet as Ake pulled one back in first-half stoppage time.
Pogba set up Lukaku to make it 4-1 with one of his first touches after 72 minutes and then only a post denied the Frenchman a first hat-trick of his career.
Solskjaer claims he is simply playing the United way and said: “I’ve gone about the job as I experienced it here as a player and coach. We want to attack. We’ve been at home and we have to entertain.”
DAVID ANDERSON AT OLD TRAFFORD