Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s relief at Manchester United securing their first Premier League away win in eight months over struggling Norwich has been tempered by the “hurt” he has felt over their results this season, he told the BBC.
The 46-year-old Norwegian has enjoyed a rare week of good results beginning with a draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool – the first side to take points from the Champions League holders in the league this season.
They subsequently beat modest Serbian outfit Partizan Belgrade away in the Europa League and then rounded if off with the 3-1 victory over hapless Norwich on Sunday.
Victory saw them rise from a lowly 15th in the standings to seventh, albeit 15 points off Liverpool and nine adrift of city rivals and champions Manchester City, who are second.
Solskjaer made a bright start as caretaker manager when he replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho last December but since being given the job permanently has seen the results and performances fall away.
However, he claimed he had not read the increasingly critical press about him.
“The ones that need to trust me and the ones that matter, they don’t mind,” he told the BBC following the Norwich match.
“I have been hurt by the results, I don’t know what has been said.
“I do not care about that, anyone can have their opinion and that is none of my business to comment on, I am not hurting because of what someone says about me.”
Solskjaer was especially pleased to have Frenchman Anthony Martial back in the side – he scored and missed a penalty, one of two United squandered – saying he was pivotal to the style he wanted the team to play.
“This had been a good week for us,” said Solskjaer.
“It started with a decent performance against Liverpool and now two wins away from home. It gives the players confidence and momentum.
“We have missed Anthony, he is a very important player for us, the way we play and today Marcus Rashford was excellent down the sides and in the middle.
“A great response to missing the penalty, chasing back and scoring.
“The third was a very good goal and a class finish.
“It is great for Martial to score a goal like that. We could and should have had a few more goals.”
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