Lukaku’s all smiles now
STEVE MILLAR
Man United 3 Southampton 2
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER last night hailed match-winner Romelu Lukaku as the “Smiling Assassin.”
Hitman Lukaku (right) grabbed a double to send Man United into fourth spot, just three points behind third-placed Tottenham.
United caretaker boss Solskjaer said: “Romelu is a quality goalscorer. We need to have him more in front of goal. He loves it. He smiles LIVERPOOL are prepared to throw style out of the window and scrap for victory in a firecracker of a Merseyside derby this afternoon.
The Premier League title race is turning into a battle with momentum shifting one way and then another.
But Reds centre-half Virgil van Dijk (below) reckons the Anfield outfit will show their fighting qualities against Marco Silva’s Toffees today. He said: “It’s the derby and it’s special but we want to show our quality and win. Hopefully, with good football but if not we’re going to fight for it. “It’ll be a game that can go either way and sometimes in these type of games it’s about who wants it the most. “We’re in a position where we definitely want it the most and hopefully we can show that on the pitch. It’ll be a game full of passion.
“We know it’s going to be tough, they’re a good side with good players, but if we’re at our best we have a good chance of getting a result. “A partisan crowd is always a big motivator. It’s a great game to be able to play in.”
every day after training because he does extra finishing every day. If you practice that comes out every game. He has a goalscorer’s instinct.
“He knows what to do and how to do it – left foot, right foot.”
Solskjaer felt the performance was a real blast from the past.
He added: “The dressing room was bouncing. The manner of that win was like the old days. I have been part of it so many times myself. I am so pleased for the boys – they managed to claw three points out of this.
“At half-time I told them, ‘Get some more urgency, play the ball forward and the Stretford End will suck it in’.”
But Alexis Sanchez has joined the casualty list and will have a scan on his damaged knee today.