Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said he is pleased with the progress Manchester United have made under his stewardship, but believes winning a trophy will give them the final push to become consistent title challengers.
United face Villarreal in the Europa League final in Gdansk on Wednesday and victory will secure the Premier League club's first piece of silverware since Solskjaer arrived on an initial caretaker basis in December 2018.
The Norwegian understands better than most the demand to collect trophies at Old Trafford. During his 11 years as a United striker, he helped the club win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the 1999 Champions League where he scored the late winner against Bayern Munich in the final.
"You always feel pressure to win things at Manchester United. Progress in the league shows progress. The next step is to win trophies and challenge in the Premier League as well," said Solskjaer, who has led United to successive top-four finishes for the first time since Alex Ferguson retired after the last of the club's Premier League titles in 2013.
"Winning a trophy can give you belief but it can make you hungry for more. When you win things you just want to win more, you want to feel that sensation again of lifting trophies.
"I know my players will believe they can win it and that we can move on to better things, but when you get that taste of the first one, that's a big step in the right direction."
Solskjaer's first four semi-finals as United manager ended in defeat, including a 2-1 loss to eventual champions Sevilla in last season's remodelled Europa League.
United crashed out in the Champions League group stage this season despite winning three of their first four games, heaping pressure on Solskjaer as rumours swirled about a possible move for Mauricio Pochettino.
The club's second place finish in the Premier League marks an encouraging season, although it didn't look likely when they started with a return of 10 points from their first nine matches for their worst league start since 1986-87.
However, superb away from – United became just the fourth to go through an English top-flight campaign undefeated away from home – laid the foundations for what has ultimately been a good league campaign.
Since replacing Jose Mourinho in December 2018, United's gradual improvement under Solskjaer has resulted in the club finishing sixth, third and now second in the Premier League.
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Manchester United v Roma player ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David De Gea 7 - Seldom saves penalties, but went the right way for Roma – but little chance of stopping it. Could do little for the second, but it’s rare for United to concede two. EPA -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka 7 - Poor throw in ultimately led to Roma’s opener and the errors were described as ‘schoolboy’ by his manager, but got forward more in the second – which was the plan from the start to target the wide areas and get in behind Roma’s full-backs. Reuters -
Harry Maguire 7 - Pellegrini’s cross went past him for a goal, but defended well in getting goal side of Dzeko as Roma’s counter attacks threatened. United’s defence concerned Solskjaer in the first half and he had strong words at half time. AFP -
Victor Lindelof 7 - Uneasy watching Roma’s second but largely untroubled as his side dominated. He knew that Roma often played long balls to Dzeko and their more dangerous players, so the idea was to squeeze those forwards. As at Leeds, he had more touches than any other player on the pitch. Reuters -
Luke Shaw 8 - Was always central to United’s plans to exploit the space around Roma’s full-back, but playing Pellegrini onside which led to Roma’s second goal wasn’t part of the plan. Livened up in the second half with a one-two with Pogba – and Roma couldn’t cope with the combinations. Hit a sublime pass which led to Bruno’s penalty. Fine season, fine performance. AFP -
Fred 7 - Had to screen with McTominay and play the ball around Pellegrini and Mkhitaryan in the middle. Poor positioning for second Roma goal. United made two mistakes in the first half and they led to two goals, but Fred, like his teammates, improved well in the second half and looked annoyed to be taken off. AFP -
Scott McTominay 7 - Key role with Fred to provide a base and try to force turnovers high up where United thought Roma would be vulnerable. Had a chance after 55 and then kneed a shot to safety in front of his own goal. Got around more in the second half – the best half of football played under Solskjaer. AFP -
Bruno Fernandes 9 - Put his side ahead after 8 minutes with a beautifully taken pass from Cavani. Wayward free-kicks, a dragged shot and a well saved free-kick saw him remain a central creative force. Switched to the left for a time as Pogba went centrally. Set Cavani up for the second and scored the fourth with a penalty. Reuters -
Marcus Rashford 7 - 50th European game and made runs which created space for others – something his manager admired. Sill, a more limited impact on the right. His cross for Cavani led to penalty. Didn’t shine like the Uruguayan – or Pogba or Fernandes, but he will on another day. AFP -
Paul Pogba 9 - Rested v Leeds and fantastic start as he combined with Cavani and Fernandes to set up opening goal. Then unfortunately penalised for handball which allowed Roma back in the game as he tried to block a cross. Also given a bizarre yellow card in the second half, but got United’s fifth and it was one of his best performances. Excellent decision to play Pogba in there and attack how United did. Reuters -
Edinson Cavani 10 - Perfectly weighted pass to set up Fernandes for the opening goal. Hurried double shot saved just before half time. Super finish to equalise. And them a straightforward finish to make it 3-2. Another unreal pass for Greenwood to make it 6-1. Led the line like a proper number nine and stretched the defence. Man of the match, a perfect performance. Reuters -
SUB: Mason Greenwood 8 - Surprise that he didn’t start, but Solskjaer went for experience and the scoreline says he got it right. On for Rashford after 72. Smart finish to make it 6-2. Reuters -
SUB: Nemanja Matic, on for Fred after 82. Couple of passes. EPA -
SUB: Juan Mata, on for Fernandes after 90. Reuters -
ROMA RATINGS: Pau Lopez - 5, There’s very little he could do to stop the opener before injuring himself saving a long-range effort from Pogba. EPA -
Chris Smalling - 3, The former United man overcommitted in his attempts to stop Pogba for the opener, showed a real lack of awareness in the build-up to United’s second, kept Wan-Bissaka onside for the third, gave the penalty away for the fourth, while the ball went narrowly over his head for United’s fifth. Booked for a foul on Fernandes. Reuters -
Bryan Cristante - 6, The 26-year-old was definitely Roma’s strongest player defensively, making some good clearances, though even he couldn’t plug the gaps that were opening up around him. Reuters -
Roger Ibanez - 5, Came agonisingly close to clearing Fernandes’ opener but successfully made some good last-ditch interventions. The Brazilian got away with an awful ball across the face of goal. EPA -
Rick Karsdorp - 6, The Dutchman’s determination to keep the ball in won the penalty that lead to the equaliser, and some of his other play going forward was brilliant. Could have perhaps done more to get back and put Cavani under pressure for the Uruguayan’s goal. Reuters -
Amadou Diawara - 4, Didn’t do that much with the ball at his feet and one poor pass that was intercepted almost got Roma in trouble. Couldn’t break up United’s midfield play once the men in red got going. Looked like he was carrying an injury in the latter stages. EPA -
Jordan Veretout – N/R, Kicked the ball out due to injury with just two minutes on the clock, and despite trying to continue, the Frenchman was forced to do the same thing moments later. AFP -
Leonardo Spinazzola - 7, Played a couple of poor passes but did a brilliant job of dealing with Rashford. He also posed a threat going forward, making a great run up the pitch to start the move for Roma’s second of the game. Reuters -
Lorenzo Pellegrini - 8, It felt inevitable that something would happen whenever the 24-year-old had the ball in the first half. He scored his penalty well despite De Gea diving the right way, then selflessly played the ball to Dzeko for the second. However, he was anonymous in the second period. AFP -
Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 7, The former United man showed real intelligence with his pass to Pellegrini in the build-up to Roma’s second. He was often willing to receive the ball and work for the team, even when things were falling apart. EPA -
Edin Dzeko - 7, Showed his predatory instinct to score Roma’s second from close range. The Bosnian also battled brilliantly to hold the ball up and help the away side get up the pitch in the first half. Like Pellegrini, he was quiet in the second. EPA -
SUB Gonzalo Villar (Veretout 5’) - 5, Couldn’t always get involved in the game despite working hard, but it was his pass that resulted in Karsdorp winning the penalty. Booked for a foul on Pogba. EPA -
SUB Antonio Mirante (Lopez 28’) - 4, The 37-year-old came out well to deny Cavani after Ibanez’s poor pass, but fumbled the ball straight to the Uruguayan’s feet for United’s third. Could have done more to stop Greenwood’s effort. Reuters -
SUB Bruno Peres (Spinazzola 37’) - 4, The Brazilian was largely quiet and showed poor judgement at times, with his positioning leaving Roma so exposed for United’s sixth goal. AFP
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"We've worked together two and a half years now and taken a step into the final after the near-misses we've had. To get to a final is one thing, but when you get to a final you need to win it," said Solskjaer.
"Those nights when you win the trophy it brings everyone together, it's a celebration.
"When we won in '99 it didn't make me a better player. It didn't make us individually better players, but as a group we believed that we could go on to win more stuff and we comfortably won the league the next couple of seasons."
Marcus Rashford is only one of three starters from United's 2017 Europa League final win over Ajax still at United, the others being Paul Pogba and Juan Mata, and the English forward has echoed his manager's sentiments.
"This game's important for us. We're so close to being a team that can compete and win trophies every single season. Maybe winning this title, this Europa League, can give us that little push that we need," Rashford said.
Solskjaer will give captain Harry Maguire until Tuesday's final training session to prove his fitness, although the England defender is highly unlikely to play after damaging ankle ligaments two weeks ago.
Another obstacle in United's way is Unai Emery, a three-time Europa League champion with Sevilla who has overseen a 14-match unbeaten run in Europe with Villarreal to reach his fifth final.
All four previous meetings between United and Villarreal have finished goalless. A similar outcome is entirely plausible in Poland, but this time there will be a winner and loser regardless.
"It's going to be special. You've got to be proud to be able to lead a Manchester United team out to a final," said Solskjaer.
"It's been a fantastic journey and, as we say in Norwegian, veien er målet (the goal is the journey). This is just a step on the road to bringing our Man United back."
