Category: football

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his Manchester United players are not divers and “none of them try to con the referee at all”.

Before Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final Chelsea boss Frank Lampard suggested that United have “got a few decisions in their favour” in recent weeks.

Solskjaer said: “I’ll defend my players 100%.

“Some ankles could have been broken this season. I just want them to be protected.”

United are unbeaten in 19 games in all competitions and opponents have been angered by some recent decisions.

In midweek Crystal Palace were furious that they were denied a penalty when Wilfried Zaha tangled with Victor Lindelof, and then had a potential equaliser from Jordan Ayew ruled out by VAR for a very marginal offside.

And Bruno Fernandes won a penalty at Villa Park earlier this month which Villa boss Dean Smith called a “disgraceful decision”.

Referring to that decision, Lampard said this week: “Fernandes is very clever in his movement. We saw that at Aston Villa to make something feel like a penalty where maybe it even isn’t.

“As a player we can talk about VAR decisions and whether they’re right or wrong. But if a player is going to dangle a leg and not move their feet then you obviously do leave yourself open to penalties, VAR or no VAR.’

Solskjaer, speaking before his side meet Chelsea at Wembley, said: “If you’ve got quick feet like Dan James, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood you’ll get tackled outside and inside the box,” said Solskjaer.

“We’ve earned our right to any decision this season. We’ve had decisions overturned from being against us to being for us which means the initial decision was against us.

“It’s up to the referee but there’s too many people talking and trying to influence people, I don’t want to. VAR is there to help get more correct decisions.

“I’ve always said a factual decision is a fact so 1cm or 1m offside you’re offside that’s just how it is in football now.”

United are aiming to win the FA Cup for a record-equalling 13th time this season and Solskjaer – who won the trophy twice as a player for the club – knows the importance of adding more silverware to the Old Trafford cabinets.

“When you are at United, yes, you need to win trophies,” he said.

“That’s what we’ve done in our history, and we want to win trophies playing the right way.

Manchester United have “earned the right” to challenge for a top-four finish in the Premier League after a “fantastic” spell of post-lockdown form, says boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United maintained their relentless pursuit of a place in the Champions League with a hard-fought win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Solskjaer’s side were under pressure after Leicester City’s earlier victory over Sheffield United and responded with a victory that keeps them in fifth place, level on points with the Foxes but with an inferior goal difference.

It extended United’s unbeaten run to 19 games in all competitions, and Solskjaer believes United, who are still in the FA Cup and Europa League, have set themselves up for a thrilling end to the season.

“No-one thought in January that we would be in with a shout for top four,” he said.

“We have done fantastic since the restart. These are the games that matter. That is the thing at Manchester United, you have to step up and show your personality.”

United were made to work for their victory, Marcus Rashford breaking the deadlock with a stylish finish in first-half stoppage time before playing his part in a sweet move involving Bruno Fernandes that was rounded off by Anthony Martial in the 78th minute.

Palace felt a real sense of injustice, furious that they were denied a penalty just before United took the lead when Wilfried Zaha tangled with Victor Lindelof, and then seeing a potential 55th-minute equaliser from Jordan Ayew ruled out by VAR for a very marginal offside.

It meant Roy Hodgson’s side slumped to their sixth consecutive league loss and their night was made worse when defender Patrick van Aanholt suffered a dislocated shoulder after trying to prevent Martial scoring United’s second.