LESSER IS MORE
Ole: Classy derby win will count for nothing if we fail to beat the smaller sides
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER knows this huge derby win will count for nothing if his Manchester United side fail to build on it with a run of victories.
United have made a habit of beating the Premier League’s big guns this season, as they did here, only to wilt against the lesser lights.
As well as this deserved win over the champions United are the only side to have taken points off runaway leaders Liverpool this season.
They have also beaten Chelsea, Leicester and Tottenham but faltered against Wolves, Crystal Palace, Southampton, West Ham, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Sheffield United and Villa.
With their next league games coming against Everton, Watford, Newcastle and Burnley, Solskjaer knows United must show they can win consistently rather than just turn it on for the big occasion.
“If it’s a mental thing then we can sort it out,” said the Old Trafford boss. “We’ll work with the mentality of the boys.
“It has been very much about margins in those games. Some freak results that we can’t control. I’m not so worried, so concerned. If the boys are then telling me they can’t get up for these games – then we’ve got a problem.
“Then I’ve really got to work with them because, when I played, that’s how we won the league so many times.
“We never gave points away against the lesser teams, the not so good sides.
“The Premier League is difficult – if you don’t have that mentality you won’t get results. I’ll work on the mentality.”
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Solskjaer and his team-mates did not need to work on their mentality when it came to winning week-in, week-out, whatever the opposition. In 1999, with United leading 4-1 at Nottingham Forest, Solskjaer came on after 71 minutes and scored four goals in the final 10 minutes for an 8-1 win.
That relentless winning mindset is what Solskjaer is trying to instil, to take United back to the top after their steady fall from grace following Ferguson’s exit in 2013.
“It’s about fighting for your place in the team,” said Solskjaer. “You wanted to show him [Ferguson] every single time that you wanted to be in the team.
“Every game is a chance for these boys to prove to me, ‘I should play’. The mentality should always be that way.
“It’s up to me to make sure, for every single game, they know they have to earn the right to win.”
Saturday’s derby was soured by events off the field, with United players suffering racial abuse from the stands and having objects thrown at them.
But there was plenty to admire on the field and United played passionate, committed, attacking football at breakneck speed, just as they did under Ferguson, who saw it all from the directors’ box.
Marcus Rashford won and converted a penalty to give United the lead with his 13th goal of the season, Anthony Martial adding a second moments later to stun City.
Then the Reds held out for a deserved win after sub Nicolas Otamendi’s late header.
It could have been more, Ederson making a series of saves and Rashford hitting the bar as United ran amok in a throwback to the glory days.
“We know that we can play quick, attacking football when we get the shape right,” said Solskjaer.
“Every time we had the ball it seemed like we could carve Manchester City open.
“The first half was attacking football as it should be played and the boys went out there with character and attitude.
“We got tired and dug in towards the end but none of them gave up.”