OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER wants Marcus Rashford to ‘win ugly’ by adding some scrappy goals to his scoring repertoire next season.
Rashford did just that in Perth, as Manchester United began their pre- season campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Perth Glory at the Optus Stadium.
England striker Rashford, who has managed just 13 goals in his past two seasons, admitted he wants to hit at least 20 next term, a total United boss Solskjaer believes he can reach.
And Solskjaer, a master of poacher’s goals in his time playing for United, welcomed Rashford’s less-than-perfect strike as evidence the 21- year- old forward is capable of doing the same.
“It was a pleasant goal to watch because it’s not a typical Marcus goal,” said Solskjaer. “When he scores, it’s usually a wonder goal and I’ve been on to him to add those scrappy or instinctive goals from inside the box. It’s not a pretty goal, but I’ve told Marcus to add these to his tally.
“He scores wonder goals, but when he can get five or six of these a season, he’ll add to his tally even more.
“It wasn’t the best strike on the ball, but if you hit it low and hard, it might go in, and the instinct was there.
“He’s working on it and practising a lot. That instinct should be in you when you’re a striker and it’s in
Marcus, to be fair.”
Solskjaer changed his entire line-up at half- time, with
United’s side a f ter the break including wantaway
Paul
Pogba
– and overall they showed greater purpose and energy.
The Frenchman provided the assist for Rashford’s opener in the 59th minute, a clever back-heeled flick, with James Garner adding a second with his first touch in the 85th minute.
Luke Shaw came off towards the end with a tight hamstring, replaced by Garner, but Solskjaer (left) said the leftback should be fit to face Leeds in Perth on Wednesday, before United head to Singapore. Solskjaer gave debuts to winger Daniel James, a £15million signing from Swansea, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who joined from Crystal Palace for £50m.
James played the first half, Wan- Bissaka the second, with Solskjaer well pleased by the way both handled their first appearances for the Reds. “Both the new lads did well, both Dan and Aaron,” he added.
“You also had Mason Greenwood, Angel Gomes, Jimmy Garner and Tahith Chong, all showing they can make it as a United player.
“The more experienced ones did a job, because we got 45 minutes out of most and it was a professional workout.
“It was all about continuing the good work they’ve done, getting 45 minutes from most of them. We played against a very well organised team, which made it difficult for us to create many chances, but we did enough in the end.”
Asked what would constitute a successful campaign, after last season’s disappointing sixth place, missing out on the Champions League, Solskjaer said: “You aim for trophies and if we’re here in nine or 10 months’ time with a trophy, that’s a successful season.”
Solskjaer confirmed that his coaching assistant Mark Dempsey, taken to hospital on Friday, is returning home to the UK and will miss the rest of the tour.
a “new challenge” while his agent Mino Raiola went public with his client’s desire to quit the club.
But asked if Pogba was a candidate to lead the team, Solskjaer, whose side opened their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win over Perth Glory yesterday, said: “Yep. We’ve got quite a few possibilities there and when the season starts we’ll announce it. But Ashley Young will wear it when he’s playing until we decide on someone.”
Real Madrid and Pogba’s old club Juventus are in for the Frenchman – but United want £180million for him – double their club record fee they paid for him in 2016.
And United will not allow Pogba’s suitors to derail Solskjaer’s plans for the new season.
The club will not sell the World Cup winner at any price if a bid is tabled after the English window closes on August 8.
La Liga clubs have until September 2 to buy and sell – and the worry at Old Trafford is that Real will use every minute available to maintain their charm offensive and force United to sell Pogba closer to their £100m valuation.
Solskjaer has told executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward that selling Pogba without a top-class replacement is unthinkable.
United are also resolved to maintaining a strong position on wantaway striker Romelu Lukaku.
Sunday Mirror Sport revealed at the start of last month that the Belgian’s hopes of linking up with ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte at Inter Milan hinge on United taking a hit on the £75m striker.
United are also reluctant to pay-up any of the remaining three years on his £200,000 a week deal. HAS TO MOVE Lukaku is a spare part at Old Trafford ROMELU LUKAKU needs a new stage to thrive on after finding himself playing the role of an extra at Manchester United.
That’s the view of former Belgium boss Georges Leekens (right), the man who gave him his international debut.
Lukaku has been linked with a move to Inter Milan, with delegates from the Serie A giants in Manchester last week to discuss a potential deal.
Despite scoring a brace in United’s stunning Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in March, Lukaku has seen Marcus Rashford leapfrog him as the first-choice centre-forward.
Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial were also often preferred to him last season. And Leekens thinks a lack of trust is behind Lukaku’s desire to leave.
Leekens said: “He’s a fantastic footballer, but the change of coach at
Manchester hasn’t worked well for him.
“He looked released when he played for
Belgium and you saw that in the way he played and scored in the recent qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Scotland.
“He needs confidence, he needs to feel wanted. When you hesitate over picking him, he feels it and he doesn’t forget it.
“The moment he feels there’s a doubt over him, he won’t hesitate to do what he thinks is best.
“Now I think it’s the right moment for him to go to Italy, to a country where the football is more tactical.
“He will like to take a little bit of revenge – and show Manchester United what they have been missing.”
Leekens points out that Lukaku has shown an uncanny ability to make the right move at the right time.
The striker was just 18 when he left his home country for Chelsea. He then shone on loan at West Brom and Everton before heading to Merseyside full-time before earning his big-money switch to Manchester United in 2017.
Now, after two seasons at
Old Trafford, he could soon be on the move again.
Leekens added: “He has shown in the past that he’s not afraid to leave a club.
“Romelu is a very clever guy. I’m not sure if he speaks Italian now, but by the time he has been there for two months he will be talking fluently – that’s the kind of guy he is.
“Going to Inter and being the main striker would be good for him, he has scored goals everywhere he has gone.
“He’d play in the Champions League too, which he wouldn’t be doing at Manchester United.”
ARMBAND: Young on tour