United boss demands a Paris performance
OLE GUNNAR Solskjaer admits Manchester United need a “perfect performance” tonight to reach the Carabao Cup Final.
Holders Manchester City take a 3-1 lead into tonight’s second leg at the Etihad.
Although City are firm favourites to go through, Solskjaer has urged his players to invoke the spirit of their epic victory at Paris St-Germain last season.
United overcame a two-goal deficit to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals, despite a backdrop of chronic injuries and suspension.
It is a similar story this time around, with United missing Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay, all of whom would start tonight if fit.
But Solskjaer said the experience of Paris gives him hope of causing a major upset, as does United’s 2-1 win at City in the Premier League last month.
“It has to be a perfect performance, to win with two goals against such a good team away from home,” said the Norwegian. “So, for us, it’s not about away goals this time, we just need to score two more than them.
“If we concede two, we need to score four, so it would be good not to concede first.
“It looked like it was over at half-time (in the first leg) because, I have to say, the second part of that first half, they outplayed us for a while.
“But when we got the goal, you’re back in it, so we hope for another one.
“Now we’ve got to go into the memory bank and think PSG, because we’ve done it against good teams before and it gives us some hope. And the game in December, of course, gives us hope that we can do something there.”
With away goals not counting and no extra-time, United need to win by two goals to take the tie to penalties or by three to go through.
Solskjaer admitted United took full advantage of City’s wobble last month, with Pep Guardiola’s side having won 11 their 13 games since.
He added: “I think we hit them last time when they were struggling a little bit and since then they’ve played really well.
“We have to go out there and try to keep the ball as well and make them run after the ball.
“It has to be a perfect performance, but we’ve done amazing things before at this club.”