Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrated his first match as full-time Manchester United manager with a 2-1 win over Watford, although he was happier to have avoided slipping up on what he termed a potential “banana skin.”
The 46-year-old Norwegian — who was named permanent manager on Thursday after reviving the team following the sacking of Jose Mourinho — professed himself happier with the result than the performance.
The victory lifted United into fourth place and potentially a place in next season’s Champions League, although Arsenal can go back ahead of them if they beat Newcastle United today.
Photo: AFP
“I’m happy with the result if not the performance,” Solskjaer said.
“It was one of those first games back after the international break that you know could be a potential banana skin,” he added.
Solskjaer, who has also guided United into the Champions League quarter-finals, believes his side have built up the momentum to finish in the top four.
Solskjaer had been greeted with a huge banner from the Stretford End as he emerged from the tunnel, but he was soon sitting uncomfortably as Watford took control with David De Gea by far the busier goalkeeper.
However, United took the lead with one of those counterattacks that the club have become famous for down the years as Luke Shaw stopped a Watford move and sped forward from left-back.
He then had the presence of mind to play a perfect through ball behind the defense for Marcus Rashford to run onto and finish coolly past the advancing Ben Foster.
It was a ninth goal for Rashford since Solskjaer took over and further evidence that he has become United’s main man up front in the past three months.
Foster made a brilliant instinctive save to deny Anthony Martial a second before the home side were again forced backward at the start of the second half, with De Gea saving well from Roberto Pereyra in a period of sustained pressure.
Solskjaer responded by making a double change. His two substitutes, Andreas Pereira and Jesse Lingard, combined to set up Martial, who scored at the second attempt from close range, as the defenders appealed for offside.
Watford finally found the net in the 90th minute as a reward for their enterprising play after a sharp one-two and some excellent footwork from Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Their manager Javi Gracia was frustrated with the result, but happy with how his players performed at the start of an important week, as they gear up for their FA Cup semi-final with Wolves at Wembley on Sunday.
“I think we had a good performance,” the Spaniard said. “It wasn’t enough to get points, but I am happy with the performance.”
Also on Saturday, it was:
‧ Manchester City 2, Fulham 0
‧ Crystal Palace 2, Huddersfield 0
‧ Leicester 2, Bournemouth 0
‧ Burnley 2, Wolves 0
‧ Southampton 1, Brighton 0
‧ Everton 2, West Ham 0
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