Tuchel expects tougher challenge after ‘Dr Solskjaer’ heals United

Thomas Tuchel has likened Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to a doctor who has “healed” Manchester United and warned his Paris St-germain players they will face a side who are unrecognisable from the team who were imploding under Jose Mourinho.

United were drawn against PSG in their round-of-16 tie the day before Mourinho was sacked in the wake of a dismal 3-1 defeat by Liverpool that left them 11 points adrift of the Premier League’s top four.

Solskjaer has since won 10 of his 11 games in charge, propelling United into the top four in the process, and Tuchel admitted the transformation was startling and that he may have to curb some of his team’s attacking instincts to cope with the threat posed by Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in particular.

“There is an effect [from Solskjaer],” Tuchel said. “We have a saying in Germany that if you go to the doctor and he heals you, he’s right. If pain goes away, he’s right. He wins a lot of games so it’s very impressive. He was a dangerous player and he is now winning as manager.

“Things are completely different [at United]. They play with a lot of confidence, score a lot of goals, get a lot of early leads. It’s an impressive run they’re on and to play in this moment in Old Trafford is one of the toughest challenges you can have.

“I don’t know if it’s the right time to change our identity. We play attacking football, it’s in our DNA, but I’m sure there will be times when we will defend deeply. I imagine United will be very bold, play a lot of attack-minded players. We will have to be at a top level.”

Tuchel will be without the injured pair of Neymar and Edinson Cavani and admits that, like Pogba and Rashford for United, such players are irreplaceable. He also believes United will have the weight of history with them.

“Would United miss Pogba if he was not there, or Rashford? Of course. You cannot replace quality like this,” Tuchel said. “Neymar is one of the key players in Europe and we miss him a lot and now we miss a second key player with Edin.

“Pogba is an incredible player. He’s always dangerous with Martial. Pogba is becoming a leader.

“We are capable of playing to a high level, but we don’t have much of a history in the Champions League. Sometimes it is more difficult to play against teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, who have this experience and history.”