Solskjaer hails his crisis-hit Reds as they go goal mad in the muck to win in a game ‘everyone wanted us to lose’

Tranmere 0 Man Utd 6 FA Cup 4th Round, Prenton Park

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER hailed his side’s “exceptional” performance as underpressure Manchester United produced their biggest win for nine years.

Four days after their 2-0 home defeat by Burnley in the Premier League, the Red Devils responded emphatically against Tranmere in the FA Cup.

They were 3-0 up in 16 minutes, 5-0 ahead at the break on a terrible pitch and boss Solskjaer

said: “We are playing against a League One team, the pitch is trying to level it out but the attitude was spot on.

“That is all you can ask for, when the attitude is right, as a manager you cannot fault them.

“We played football the way it should be played and it was an exceptional performance at times.

“You can see everyone wanted us to fail, but it doesn’t bother me. I can’t be up and down. I’m happy but won’t relax. Two big games are coming up.”

And Solskjaer thanked Tranmere skipper Scott Davies (above) for helping fire United to victory.

Goalkeeper Davies, a lifelong Manchester City fan, taunted United ahead of the tie by accusing the Reds of looking down their noses at their local rivals.

The response was United’s biggest win since an 8-2 defeat of Arsenal in 2011. “Thanks for firing up the fans and the players,” Solskjaer told Davies, when they came face-to-face outside the dressing rooms at Prenton Park.

United’s £80million signing and newly-appointed skipper Harry Maguire, who scored his first goal for the club, said: “It was really important to get the win, coming off the back of a bad performance and result against Burnley.”

United face Manchester City in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, trailing 3-1, and then are at home to Wolves on Saturday.