Ole Gunnar Solskjaer bemoaned the lack of supporters as his Manchester United team recorded another last-gasp Champions League win at Paris St Germain.
Marcus Rashford fired the Red Devils to another memorable victory in the French capital as Solskjaer’s men started their European campaign with a bang.
After a season away from European football’s top table, the Red Devils returned to action at the Parc des Princes, where just 19 months ago they secured one of their greatest ever comebacks in this competition.
Rashford fired home the late winner that night and again sealed a last-gasp United triumph as last season’s Champions League finalists PSG were deservedly overcome 2-1 in Tuesday’s Group H opener.
Bruno Fernandes had opened the scoring with a retaken penalty but the hosts looked on course for a point after Anthony Martial turned a corner into his own goal.
Despite hailing the performance of his side, Solskjaer admitted it was not the same feeling as the drama of the round of 16 win the last time they visited Paris.
“It is a different feel of course, this is the start of the group stages,” he told BT Sport.
“We win against a fantastic team, last time was knockout and the euphoria was different this time there are no fans, it is sterile and no-one to celebrate with.
“We know that when you go away against a team like this against players like Neymar and Mbappe, we know we have to defend well.
“We know that to get through you probably need 10 points, next week’s game against Leipzig will be very, very important for us.
“We have Chelsea and Arsenal after – we have so many games I’m happy I have so many good players to choose from.”
Meanwhile, Rashford would not be forced into choosing whether he favoured this late winner over his penalty heroics of 2019.
These two 🥰#MUFC #UCL pic.twitter.com/obLJtRlb5d — Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 20, 2020
“For me they were both opportunities to win the game,” he said.
“As a striker in the game, that is the mindset. You might only get once chance and you have to do your best to make it count.
“Of course it is a nice feeling, more importantly we win the game and we are in a stronger position now in the group.
“It is the first game and the concentration and intensity we showed today we have to take forward into the next games.
“It is a good performance but also a performance where we have a lot to build on, I always believe in the team and as players it is important to believe in the system the manager chooses to play and today we did that fantastically.”
