The third year of Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer began with two late goals to clinch a Cup match. A fitting scenario. It’s the Solskjaer trademark.
Sometimes, it can seem like the only Solskjaer trademark to those who wonder if the Norwegian reached the position of United manager and remains in it largely for the enduring aura of his heroic moment as a United striker late on in a vital Cup game, a Champions League final, 21 years ago.
Wednesday's win over Everton in the League Cup quarter-final was not so dramatic though it did carry enough suspense that a penalty shoot-out was anticipated, until Edinson Cavani took on the Teddy Sheringham role – the veteran who strikes with time running out – and Anthony Martial played the Solskjaer part, the supersub whose alertness puts the outcome beyond doubt in injury time.
There have been more nail-biting games in the age of United under Solskjaer, most famously at Paris Saint-Germain, when a two-goal deficit was reversed in the manager’s first tie in the Champions League, via a last-gasp winner from the penalty spot.
That stunning 3-1 victory in France led Solskjaer over the bridge between caretaker – the job he initially took on December 22, 2018 after Jose Mourinho had been sacked – and permanent appointment, the position he will hold into 2021. Put bluntly, the audition went better than the 22 months after he was offered a three-year contract. Ole as interim won 14 of 19 matches; Solskjaer the-more-secure has won 50 of the 93 matches since.
But that’s just one way of measuring the success of a manager who divides opinion, just as each of his predecessors – Mourinho, Van Gaal, David Moyes – in the difficult post-Alex Ferguson epoch have. Solskjaer has now well outlasted Moyes and Van Gaal for time in charge, and, if United put together significant runs in Europe and the FA Cup over the rest of the season and he is still in charge at the end of it, he will have overseen more matches than Mourinho’s 144.
It is also technically possible Solskjaer’s United could roar into the new year at the summit of the Premier League, although that would take a combination of their beating Leicester City on Saturday and Wolverhampton Wanderers three days later, while leaders Liverpool collect nothing from fixtures against West Bromwich and Newcastle United. What Solskjaer can do is breathe ever heavily down the reigning champions’ neck. Win at Leicester and United would move to second, within two points of Liverpool.
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Everton v Manchester United player ratings
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EVERTON RATINGS: Robin Olsen – 5: The loanee endured a poor start when his slip nearly gifted the ball to Edinson Cavani. A very good double save followed at Cavani’s expense, but overall his saving ability was compromised by his erratic distribution. AP -
Seamus Coleman – 6: A strong performance from the right back, keeping his nerve on his return with some good runs and positive distribution up and down the wing. AFP -
Yerry Mina – 7: Made a number of good clearances, especially from consecutive corners from the visitors. His positional awareness was impressive, and he looked comfortable with the ball at his feet. AP -
Michael Keane – 5: The Englishman repeatedly gave the ball away to the United attack early on, heaping even more pressure on his defensive peers. He made a good forward run in the later stages of the first half, but ultimately he should have done better to stop Cavani’s goal. EPA -
Ben Godfrey – 5: The makeshift left-back struggled against Mason Greenwood in the first half. He also lost Cavani multiple times in the box, but he improved in the second half with a few good clearances. Reuters -
Abdoulaye Doucoure - 6: The defensive midfielder pressed well and made some key interceptions, but his passing was poor. At times it seemed as though he was playing alone in the midfield. PA -
Andre Gomes – 4: A very poor performance from the Portuguese who was missing In action during the first half. Sloppy passing and ball watching made it a game to forget. PA -
Alex Iwobi – 5: The winger made some positive runs in the first half and he showed good strength to win – and retain – the ball. However, a mix of poor touches and lacklustre crosses summed up a frustrating evening. AP -
Gylfi Sigurdsson – 7 Produced some very good attacking moves, including a dynamic run into the box. He also came close with a free kick which forced Dean Henderson into a stunning save. PA -
Richarlison – 6: The Brazilian had a decent first half with some good clearances at the back, but he provided very little attacking threat. He was then forced off early in the second half after ending up on the wrong side of a challenge by Eric Bailly. PA -
Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 5: The striker had very little support, but he was guilty of giving away cheap fouls and losing out in his aerial duels. A poor game by his high standards. EPA -
SUBS: Bernard (Richarlison) - 6: The small winger was brought on early in the second half and made an impact, offering some good runs down the left hand side. His defensive input was poor however, and he was beaten too easily more than once. PA -
Tom Davies (Gomes) – 5: In the build-up to United’s first goal, he was nowhere to be seen as Martial slid the ball through to Cavani. Davies found himself partly to blame for United’s second too as he failed to stop Martial from slotting home. AP -
Cenk Tosun – N/A: The striker was brought on with minutes to go and formed a front two with Calvert-Lewin, but received little service. He didn’t have much of an impact, apart from giving the ball away for the second goal. PA -
MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: Dean Henderson - 6: Second start in a week after his tough night in Sheffield and one of nine changes from the 6-2 win against Leeds. Confident save from a fine Sigurdsson free-kick as Everton recovered from an anonymous start to create some first-half chances. Clean sheet. Getty -
Axel Tuanzebe - 7: As comfortable at right back against Richarlison as he was in a more central role against Neymar and Mbappe in Paris. Needs minutes. Booked. AP -
Eric Bailly - 8: Aggressive with Richarlison as the game turned dirtier in the second half and the 2,000 home fans fumed at the decisions against their team. The issue with Bailly is injuries and errors. He avoided both at Goodison and was excellent in one-on-one situations. AP -
Harry Maguire - 7: Kept the energetic Dominic Calvert-Lewin quiet at Goodison for the second time in six weeks. Needs to lead his team to a cup final now and get beyond the semi-final barrier which held United back three times in 2020. Getty -
Alex Telles - 7: Played more a left winger than a left back. Put a huge amount of energy in and tired towards the end as Iwobi got more space. Encouraging, though struck late free-kick over as United searched for an opening. EPA -
Nemanja Matic - 7: Provided a solid platform at the base of a midfield diamond for United’s early onslaught. Touched the ball far more than any other player on the pitch. EPA -
Bruno Fernandes - 8: Passing a level above every other player. Still loses the ball, but takes more risks with his passes than others. AP -
Donny van de Beek - 6: Neat, steady and unspectacular on the uncustomary left of the diamond. Off after 66 minutes as United pushed for a goal. He’ll be needed this season with the number and intensity of games. EPA -
Paul Pogba - 7: Nice touches and combinations with Fernandes. His selection showed Solskjaer wanted to win game. Moved more forward in second half as United tried to make it 25 games since they failed to score a goal in an away game. That was soon fixed. Pogba’s playing well. Another who was booked. EPA -
Mason Greenwood - 6: Danced around the ball and his header hit post on 24 after super movement. Exciting when on the ball and gaining valuable experience with every game. PA -
Edinson Cavani - 8: Two early efforts blocked with good saves as United completely dominated early on with the Uruguayan as the spearhead. Grabbed Yerry Mina for which he was fortunate not to see red – he would have with var. World class finish with his weaker foot to win the game. Big game player who produces in big games. Reuters -
SUBS: Marcus Rashford - 5: On for Greenwood after 67 minutes. Limited impact on game, but rapid in running back to defend after an attack broke down. EPA -
Anthony Martial - 7: On for Van de Beek after 67. Played on the right and over hit a 74th minute cross before scoring United’s second in stoppage time. Played the ball which led to Cavani’s opener and scored himself as his team countered when Everton pushed everything up. Now has two goals and four assists from his last three games. Booked. EPA -
Luke Shaw - N/A: On for the tired Telles after 83 minutes. The second United sub to be booked. Positive for United that they have two quality left backs. AP
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Solskjaer has been adept at getting United to podium positions, though not yet to gold-medal ones and his glee at the manner of victory at Everton, with a starting XI featuring nine changes from the 6-2 win against Leeds last weekend, was tempered by the news United must meet Manchester City, the holders, in the League Cup semi-final.
City knocked United out at that stage last year, in a season that had United reaching the semi-final of the Europa League, the FA Cup and the League Cup and finishing third in the Premier League. Bronze medal positions may represent an uplift on some of the rankings United have found attached to them since Ferguson retired in 2013, but they are not what the club targets.
Nor do United relish finishing 17th in club football's most prestigious competition. Defeat at RB Leipzig two weeks ago, the result that meant relegation from the group phase of the Champions League into the Europa League is perhaps the heaviest blemish on Solskjaer's 2020, far more damaging than, say, the startling 6-1 loss to Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur in October. In this, the least forecastable of seasons, heavy defeats litter the records of some of the best-prepared clubs.
With Solskjaer’s United, they represent dips on a graph of sometimes relentless inconsistency. Even his compatriots, rooting for Solskjaer, find the highs and lows puzzling.
“It’s exhausting because it just changes all the time - he’s doing well then two weeks later they lose and he’s ‘on his way’," Solskjaer’s former Norway international teammate Erik Thorstvedt told the BBC. “There’s a sense of pride here [in Norway] because he’s Norwegian and boss of one of the biggest clubs but even among Man United supporters here, there’s been mixed feelings.
“But at the moment Ole’s doing really well, he’s recruited well and they are on the right track. They are a title candidate. It’s not unthinkable United could win the Premier League.”
