Solskjaer: We should have been more clinical
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt that finishing was the key difference between Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain during Wednesday’s Champions League encounter.
It was the Parisians who took their opportunities and ran out with a 3-1 win at Old Trafford, with Neymar (two) and Marquinhos netting for Thomas Tuchel's team while Marcus Rashford grabbed our only goal of the night.
The result means qualification for the Champions League's last 16 will be determined in next week’s final round of fixtures, with United, PSG and RB Leipzig all still able to go through.
After the game, when speaking to MUTV and BT Sport, Ole was asked about that winner-takes-all meeting with Leipzig next week, our performance against PSG, Fred’s eventful night that ultimately saw him receive a second-half red card, and much more…
The result means qualification for the Champions League's last 16 will be determined in next week’s final round of fixtures, with United, PSG and RB Leipzig all still able to go through.
After the game, when speaking to MUTV and BT Sport, Ole was asked about that winner-takes-all meeting with Leipzig next week, our performance against PSG, Fred’s eventful night that ultimately saw him receive a second-half red card, and much more…
Ole's verdict on United 1 PSG 3 Video
Ole's verdict on United 1 PSG 3
Watch as Solskjaer discusses our performance, missed chances, Fred's red card and the situation in Group H...
FINISHING COST US
“I think you look back at that game and the chances we created and you feel we deserve to go through. But you need to be more clinical, you need to take your chances, definitely. But you’ve got to say the boys did create those moments and chances, that’s the big positive. We should have been more clinical, of course, we know that. More quality with the finish and then you’re celebrating. But that’s football. It’s always decided in the boxes with that quality. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes against you and definitely tonight it went against us. We didn’t deserve to lose.”
MARQUINHOS’S STRIKE
“It’s half a centimetre, half an inch [onside]. We’re a bit unlucky with Aaron [Wan Bissaka’s] right heel or something that’s just in line with Marquinhos. I thought it was offside, but it’s just fine margins and we look forward to next week. We’ll still go there [to Leipzig] and get something out of it.”
“I think you look back at that game and the chances we created and you feel we deserve to go through. But you need to be more clinical, you need to take your chances, definitely. But you’ve got to say the boys did create those moments and chances, that’s the big positive. We should have been more clinical, of course, we know that. More quality with the finish and then you’re celebrating. But that’s football. It’s always decided in the boxes with that quality. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes against you and definitely tonight it went against us. We didn’t deserve to lose.”
MARQUINHOS’S STRIKE
“It’s half a centimetre, half an inch [onside]. We’re a bit unlucky with Aaron [Wan Bissaka’s] right heel or something that’s just in line with Marquinhos. I thought it was offside, but it’s just fine margins and we look forward to next week. We’ll still go there [to Leipzig] and get something out of it.”
FRED’S SECOND BOOKING
“Yes, that’s not a yellow card, we know that. The referee, when he sees it, he knows he’s made a mistake. That’s something that sometimes happens. You can’t do anything about it unfortunately, but it was a clear and obvious error. Very frustrating. [It’s] a clean challenge, a fair challenge. He played really well. Fred is so energetic out there. He’ll hold his hands up and say sorry, but you can’t be sorry for winning the ball, can you?”
FIRST-HALF YELLOW CARD
“Fred shouldn’t put his head towards him. You can’t do that. So he was a bit lucky. I thought it was either nothing or a red card. I thought he was maybe a bit lucky to stay on when the referee decided to give him anything."
“Yes, that’s not a yellow card, we know that. The referee, when he sees it, he knows he’s made a mistake. That’s something that sometimes happens. You can’t do anything about it unfortunately, but it was a clear and obvious error. Very frustrating. [It’s] a clean challenge, a fair challenge. He played really well. Fred is so energetic out there. He’ll hold his hands up and say sorry, but you can’t be sorry for winning the ball, can you?”
FIRST-HALF YELLOW CARD
“Fred shouldn’t put his head towards him. You can’t do that. So he was a bit lucky. I thought it was either nothing or a red card. I thought he was maybe a bit lucky to stay on when the referee decided to give him anything."
A feisty affair
GalleryThese pics tell at least part of the story of our Champions League battle with PSG.
FACING LEIPZIG
“We go into a game of football wanting to win it. I think these games against PSG and Leipzig at home have showed how much we’ve developed. I think the team has developed in these types of games and it’s just about some finishing today and we’d be smiling."
MARCUS’S INJURY
“It’s just niggling him, that shoulder injury. Let’s see how quickly he can recover. Let’s hope he can be ready for the West Ham game. But we don’t know.”
DRESSING ROOM REACTION
“They don’t need lifting, we’ve just got to make sure we don’t drop our heads. That’s football. You’ve got a big game against West Ham already on Saturday and then Tuesday against Leipzig, so it’s a great week.”
“We go into a game of football wanting to win it. I think these games against PSG and Leipzig at home have showed how much we’ve developed. I think the team has developed in these types of games and it’s just about some finishing today and we’d be smiling."
MARCUS’S INJURY
“It’s just niggling him, that shoulder injury. Let’s see how quickly he can recover. Let’s hope he can be ready for the West Ham game. But we don’t know.”
DRESSING ROOM REACTION
“They don’t need lifting, we’ve just got to make sure we don’t drop our heads. That’s football. You’ve got a big game against West Ham already on Saturday and then Tuesday against Leipzig, so it’s a great week.”
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