MX23RW : Tuesday, January 1 00:07:51

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praises Paul Pogba after two-goal display at Old Trafford

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praises Paul Pogba after two-goal display at Old Trafford
© Reuters
Pogba has shone in both games under Solskjaer.

Manchester United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is enjoying watching Paul Pogba play with a smile on his face after the midfielder scored a brace in the 3-1 win over Huddersfield.

United made it two wins from as many matches since sacking Jose Mourinho and bringing in Solskjaer last week.

Pogba was restored to the starting line-up under the Norwegian and has shone in both the 5-1 win at Cardiff and the Boxing Day success against Huddersfield.

Solskjaer – who previously worked with Pogba when he managed United's reserves – was asked about the smile that had been seen on the Frenchman's face and said: "That's the Paul I know, the Paul I have known since he was in the reserves and in the youth team.

"He's always been a happy boy, he's always had a big smile on his face and when you score a goal, or if you score two, of course you're happy. And when you play football for Manchester United you should be happy.

"Of course it's a responsibility but it's an honour and a privilege.

"Paul loves playing for this club. He's a Man United boy through and through. He's a kid that knows what it means to play for Man United."

Paul Pogba slots in Manchester United's second
Paul Pogba slots in Manchester United's second (Martin Rickett/PA)

He added: "I'm spending time with the players of course, and trying to get as much time with each individual as possible.

"Paul is one that's really enjoyed... Last time (against Cardiff) he creates two or three goals, this time he scores two himself. I think he's enjoyed this today."

After Nemanja Matic put United 1-0 up in the 28th minute, Pogba struck twice in the second half before Mathias Jorgensen's late consolation for the visitors.

Nemanja Matic scored the opener
Nemanja Matic scored the opener (Martin Rickett/PA)

Solskjaer said: "You don't in one week change anything, but you change the mindset.

"I want my team to play in a certain way and you give them little pointers here and there, and it's a work in progress.

"It's going to take time for the players to go from one manager and the details he wanted. I've got a little bit of a tweak.

"We'll improve as time goes on and I was just thinking, and I said to the staff as well towards the end, when you go 2-0 up, maybe 3-0 up, and you think 'next week we'll have (Alexis) Sanchez, (Anthony) Martial back, you've got (Romelu) Lukaku to put on'. Because I think maybe we could have really finished them off then."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has enjoyed a winning start to life as Manchester United's caretaker manager
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has enjoyed a winning start to life as Manchester United's caretaker manager (Martin Rickett/PA)

Martial and Lukaku missed the game due to illness and a private matter respectively.

Solskjaer said Sanchez, who has been sidelined by a hamstring problem, was "touch and go" for the home clash with Bournemouth on Sunday and would be "probably definitely involved" in the match at Newcastle three days later.

Former United striker Solskjaer received a superb reception on his Old Trafford return, and he said: "Extra special, of course it was, but I was surprisingly calm, I think the boys have settled me down really quickly.

"It was a great day that I'll never, ever forget."

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Boxing Day + Old Trafford + Win= Perfect Day 👌 #MUFC

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While United are sixth in the Premier League, Huddersfield – who were denied an equaliser when David De Gea made a superb save to keep out Laurent Depoitre – are five points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table after suffering six straight defeats.

Huddersfield boss David Wagner said: "I think a big reason why we lost today was because we were not clinical enough. We haven't used our chances.

"It's a problem we have to solve but if we can solve it and continue to perform like we've done in recent weeks we can collect more points in the second half of the season than we have done in the first."


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Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner pictured on November 5, 2018
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Mourinho's sacking not what Huddersfield wanted before Boxing Day match – Wagner
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool2017304884054
2Manchester CityMan City20152354163847
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs20150543212245
4Chelsea20134338162243
5Arsenal20115442301238
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd2010554132935
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves208572323029
8Leicester CityLeicester208482423128
9Watford208482728-128
10Everton207673130127
11West Ham UnitedWest Ham208392730-327
12Bournemouth2082102837-926
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton207492227-525
14Crystal Palace2054111726-919
15Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2046101527-1218
16Cardiff CityCardiff2053121938-1918
17Southampton2036112138-1715
18Burnley2043131941-2215
19Fulham2035121843-2514
20Huddersfield TownHuddersfield2024141235-2310

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