Manchester United's derby win was latest tactical triumph for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

While few believe Norwegian is a world-class manager, he has consistently displayed an impressive ability to defeat elite coaches

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Long after the final whistle, just out of their respective technical areas, Pep Guardiola and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stood deep in conversation. The temptation was to wonder if Guardiola, with his perpetual quest for knowledge, was asking for tips.

Manchester City may be 11 points before their neighbours but only one manager has faced Guardiola four times or more and won more than he has lost: Solskjaer. Only Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho boast more victories in total against Guardiola.

Welcome to the paradox of Solskjaer. If few believe he is a world-class manager, he has displayed an ability to beat them.

Besides Guardiola, he has defeated Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, Carlo Ancelotti, Mauricio Pochettino and Mourinho, plus managers of elite clubs such as Unai Emery and Frank Lampard.

Only Klopp has not lost to Solskjaer in the league, but the only points he dropped in Liverpool’s first 29 games last season were at Old Trafford.

True, Solskjaer has often lost to them. Admittedly, United’s resources and personnel give him a chance in most games. And, as he has lost four semi-finals and had not won any of his first seven big-six matches this season, it can be simplistic to simply say he is the man for the major occasion. And yet Solskjaer, sometimes cruelly derided as a PE teacher, can point to his share of prestigious tactical triumphs.

Sunday was one such. The sight of Joao Cancelo, an emblem of City’s winning run, being substituted showed United had found a way of combating the ‘false two’, the full-back who spent much of his time in midfield.

Using Marcus Rashford’s pace in the space Cancelo vacated was one part of strategy. When Luke Shaw surged past the Portuguese en route to scoring United’s second, it felt symbolic.

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City 0 United 2: player ratings

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Shaw has plenty of other significance. Solskjaer has proved the former striker can drill a defence. Understandably, the focus in the build-up was on United’s lack of goals against their peers. But now a record featuring a surfeit of stalemates can be flipped.

Since the 6-1 defeat to Tottenham, Manchester United have conceded a solitary penalty in seven league games against the big six. They kept a clean sheet against City with just 34 per cent of possession, a feat of concentration and organisation, and Solskjaer has still to show he can formulate a plan to dominate the ball against the elite. His back four, and the shield of Scott McTominay and Fred, though. can be hard to penetrate.

Sean Dyche may recognise the combination of sporadic high pressing married with a retreat into a low block, but Harry Maguire’s assortment of clearances was an illustration he is one of the best penalty-box defenders around.

Shaw has inverted a recent trend at Old Trafford. Too many signings since Sir Alex Ferguson have produced their best form early in their United careers only to regress.

There have been times when United seem to have had a diminishing effect on him; not now, when he has never played better. Scapegoated by Mourinho, he has surged under Solskjaer.

Shaw may have been galvanised by the competition from Alex Telles but the Norwegian merits credit for his improvement. Perhaps the recent revival of Daniel James, the eager runner who has done a valuable job in major matches, offers indications another will advance courtesy of his coaching.

Maybe Anthony Martial did, too, but after a terrific, 23-goal season last year, the Frenchman’s troubled campaign threatened to be defined by his dismissal against Spurs. An enigma was outstanding on Sunday, a speedy spearhead resuming a role as City’s tormentor. Solskjaer added to his list of scalps. Maybe Guardiola was asking him how.