Man Utd news: Solskjaer singles out these SIX players after stunning Cardiff win
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER says he was pleased with all of his players after masterminding Manchester United’s stunning 5-1 win at Cardiff in his first game as caretaker manager - but singled out six for special praise.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thanks journalists following Cardiff win
Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard (two) were all among the goals in Saturday’s late kick-off and Solsjkaer reveled in their displays.
The Norwegian also hailed Paul Pogba and centre-back pairing Victor Lindelof and Phil Jones.
"I'm pleased with all of them, every single one of them," Solskjaer said.
"But of course it's a threat [to have such players]. When you've got Martial and Jesse Lingard down either side, Rashford up top with Paul [Pogba] supporting them, it's exhilarating to watch and as long as we keep that standard up we'll keep up picking points.
"When you're a Man United player, you want the ball and that’s only of the things you say to them: 'Go and get on the ball’. But in some periods we were too congested, four or five players on top of each.
"So when we get to work a little bit with each other and understand that we can trust each other to do a job, then we can have a little bit more distance and we might even improve.
"Rash, he's got a great strike in him, that swirl is difficult for the keeper now we can settle down and play. Because that was key today, the first 15, 20 minutes. We know the energy of the crowd here, I know that myself, we knew they were going to come long, first balls and second balls.
"And I thought Victor and Phil at the back won so many headers that ended up down into midfield instead of a flick on and that was great to see."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised his Manchester United players after they beat Cardiff (Image: GETTY)
Rashford opened the scoring with a stunning long-range free-kick on three minutes that flew into the bottom corner and left Neil Etheridge stranded in goal.
Ander Herrera doubled the lead with another strike from distance that took a deflection before looping in on the half-hour mark.
Victor Cameras reduced the deficit form the penalty spot in the 38th minute after Rashford was penalised for handball, however, Martial restored the two-goal lead just three minutes when he finished off a sublime team move.
Paul Pogba returned to form in the Cardiff victory (Image: GETTY)
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Jesse Lingard scored twice at the Cardiff City stadium (Image: GETTY)
Lingard rounded Etheridge to make it 4-1 in the 57th minute and grabbed his second from the penalty spot after picking himself up having won the spot kick in the first place.
United stay sixth in the Premier League table but closed the gap to the top four to eight points after Chelsea were beaten 1-0 at home by Leicester.
They face Huddersfield at home on Boxing Day before welcoming Bournemouth to Old Trafford on December 30.