Solskjaer says Man Utd have found spark again after win over Saints

AFP

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his team had rediscovered their best form during Tuesday's 9-0 Premier League thrashing of Southampton after two disappointing results.

Solskjaer's side came into the contest on the back of a goalless draw with Arsenal after a 2-1 defeat by bottom side Sheffield United, but turned on the style against Southampton to equal their 1995 win over Ipswich Town.

Southampton played with 10 men for the majority of the game, but ended with just nine.

"We have been waiting on them (the players) to show the magic and tonight was a night that they could go and enjoy," Norwegian Solskjaer told BT Sport on Tuesday.

"Confidence is one thing but it was about the mojo and spark, the X-factor. We haven't had too many of them where we could sit down and enjoy the football.

"They enjoyed it...(there were) some good performances."

Victory lifted the team to the top of the standings with 44 points, level with Manchester City who have two games in hand. It also boosted Manchester United's goal difference to 19 and Solskjaer said that could be important later in the season.

City beat Manchester United to the league title thanks to a better goal difference in the 2011-12 campaign after the teams finished level on points.

"You have to take your chances in tight or open games. You never know what might be the deciding factor," Solskjaer said.

"We know better than anyone what goal difference can do to you because we've lost the league on goal difference."

Manchester United host eighth-placed Everton in the league on Saturday. 

More from Sports

  • Sarfaraz named Pakistan's test coach for Bangladesh series

    Pakistan appointed former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as head coach of their test team for the two-match series in Bangladesh next month, the country's cricket board said on Saturday.

  • Coventry promoted to Premier League after 25-year absence

    Coventry City ended their 25-year absence from the Premier League with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers, securing promotion from the Championship with three games to spare on Friday.

  • Gujarat sink Kolkata with adaptable bowling in IPL

    Gujarat Titans adapted to conditions to secure a five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada said, focusing on tight bowling instead of the explosive batting that has been the hallmark of the Indian Premier League.

  • Alcaraz pulls out of Madrid Open for second straight year

    Carlos Alcaraz will miss the Madrid Open for the second consecutive year after withdrawing on Friday with a wrist injury, dealing another blow to the world number two's clay court preparations ahead of his French Open title defence.

  • Injured Djokovic to miss Madrid Open

    Novak Djokovic is still working through the injury problems that forced him to miss recent tournaments in Miami and Monte Carlo and said on Friday that he will not feature at next week's Madrid Open, one of the last stops before the French Open.

News