Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praises ‘clinical’ Manchester United for bouncing back from ‘difficult spell’ following thumping victory over Real Sociedad

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised his side for bouncing back from their ‘difficult spell’ in style following their thumping 4-0 victory over Real Sociedad.

Solskjaer’s side got back to winning ways with a brilliant win in Turin, with Bruno Fernandes’ brace complemented by Marcus Rashford and Daniel James all but sealing their place in the last-16.

“We played well,” the United boss said. “We were more clinical in front of goal, of course, even though we had a few chances before we got the first one.

“But definitely when we got the second, the game opened up and we found ourselves in loads of space.”

Asked if he will make wholesale changes in the return leg at Old Trafford given progress to the last 16 is all but assured and they face a frantic fixture schedule, Solskjaer said: “No, we’ve got to take one game at a time.

“Of course we’ve got Newcastle first but we’ll put a strong team out because it’s about creating momentum.

“We’ve been through a difficult spell and I found tonight, or I thought we found ourselves a little bit tonight.

“I thought the boys had got that little bit of zip in their legs again so it was important to be able to take some players off.

“We still rotated the team. We’ll rotate, definitely, but, no, we’re not going to take the game lightly.”

James was among United’s five alterations in Turin, where Solskjaer said he displayed his “X factor” on a night when he wrapped up victory having provided Fernandes’ second goal.

Rashford – who scored the third – put the Portuguese through for the first-half opener, kicking off an impressive win and continuing his exceptional form since joining United from Sporting in January 2020.

“He always wants to do the next thing correctly,” Solskjaer said of Fernandes.

“He wants to do the next thing at the best of his ability and that’s a good attribute and quality to have that he never rests on his laurels.

“If he scores two, he wants three. If he has an assist, he wants another one. He drives everyone on.

“Of course sometimes he drives too much and he wants to do too much. I thought tonight he played his position well, we were in the spaces we wanted him and you can see how efficient he is.”