Mason Greenwood strikes against Everton

Solskjaer: Greenwood has a goalscorer's quick brain

Monday 16 December 2019 05:00

Mason Greenwood is firing his way into first-team starting contention on a regular basis, as Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits the teenage hitman is compiling a goal CV he cannot ignore.

The 18-year-old came on as a substitute against Everton on Sunday, to score an important equaliser in the 1-1 Old Trafford draw.

It was Greenwood's seventh senior goal of the season and made it three in four days, following his double against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.

Solskjaer was a born finisher himself and Mason's hit against Everton has been compared to the manager’s winning strike in 1999, when he scored late against Liverpool in a dramatic FA Cup tie at Old Trafford that effectively set the ball rolling for the Treble success.

“Mason is different class in and around the box. You're not surprised when he scores goals,” said Ole.


“It's fitting that it should be an Academy player that scores in the 4,000th match [in a row featuring a homegrown player] and it makes it hard for me to leave him out.”

Ole's suggestion could mean that Greenwood will starting in Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Colchester.

Highlights: United 1 Everton 1 Video

Highlights: United 1 Everton 1

Watch the debatable own goal and excellent Mason Greenwood finish from Sunday's 1-1 draw against the Toffees...

Solskjaer recognises that Greenwood possesses a clinical scoring talent, as he explained on Sunday.

“We wanted the ball to drop to Mason because he’s so calm and composed and when he gets a chance he takes his chances,” Ole said.

“It’s just so natural for him, he knows exactly what to do. If you open your legs, he shoots through you. If you close your legs, he shoots round you. He can go on his right or left.

“Too many chances are missed in football from strikers rushing the finish, or stressing. The best ones, they have that extra half a second and he does

“It doesn't matter who is in goal or who is he playing against. He just knows where that goal is going to end up and as I've always said before, there's no such thing as a good save, only a bad finish, and he can finish that boy.

Video
Greenwood's goal has been compared to Solskjaer's finish against Liverpool in 1999.

“He's a special goalscoring talent, he's a special kid that we're going to see lots more of in the years to come.

"He's just developing and growing and improving all the time, especially in the last month or six weeks, two months. He's really taken steps forward.”

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