Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: ‘Man Utd’s young players learned a valuable lesson’

Manchester United’s young players “learned a valuable lesson” after coming from 2-0 down at Sheffield United to draw 3-3, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.

The visitors were lacklustre for much of the game until they scored three goals in seven second-half minutes before Oli McBurnie’s late equaliser.

“This team don’t give in – such a difference from last year,” he said.

“It shows the quality that we can score three in a game when we don’t perform.”

The Red Devils began the day in 10th, 10 points below fourth-placed Chelsea having failed to win two league wins in a row this season.

Former United striker Solskjaer, who took caretaker charge of the team almost a year ago, also faced questions about his future in the build-up after former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was again linked with the Old Trafford club.

Solskjaer’s side were awful in the opening half, going behind to John Fleck’s opener before Lys Mousset doubled the lead shortly after the break.

Having barely threatened the Blades goal, the visitors scored three in quick succession through Brandon Williams, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford to stun the Bramall Lane crowd.

However, Chris Wilder’s side did not give up the fight with McBurnie earning a deserved point with his late strike.

Solskjaer made the comparison between his team that were 2-0 down to Everton in April – eventually losing 4-0 – and the current side.

Manchester United's players
Manchester United had two teenagers score in a Premier League game for the first time since October 2005 against Sunderland (Wayne Rooney and Giuseppe Rossi)

“When you’re 2-0 down, you fear the worst,” he told BBC’s Match of the Day.

“But this group won’t give in, don’t give in. We’ve made massive strides and would have a learned a lot today.”

The Norwegian added: “Even though the big part of this game is a negative and we are disappointed with it, the overriding feeling is a positive because of the character to stick in there and turn it around.

“They’ve come through the academy most of these boys and in the academy you don’t play in these kind of games, despite trying to teach them to play without fear, and they will have learned a lot in this 90-odd minutes.”

 

 

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