It’s safe to say Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has lifted the mood at Old Trafford.
Anthony Martial has become the first Manchester United player to state their support for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be offered the manager’s role permanently.
Solskjaer was appointed as caretaker manager in December, replacing José Mourinho until the end of the 2018-19 season. But, after a blistering start in the form of a perfect six wins from six record, Solskaer could now be offered the job on a long term basis.
Other than winning all of his matches, including an impressive 1-0 defeat of Spurs at Wembley last weekend, Solskjaer has helped bring the best of Martial, his countryman Paul Pogba and striker Marcus Rashford in his short stint in charge.
United are now consistently playing on the front foot, a stark reversal of Mourinho’s often negative, disciplined style. And it’s not just the attackers, even the likes of Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelöf have seen a remarkable turnaround in their form and look completely different players under the Norwegian’s tutelage.
There is presumably a long queue of stars coming out of the dressing room willing to offer appraisals of their new manager but Martial has become the first to publicly reiterate his belief in the former club legend.
The French forward told ITV:
“Everything is going very well at the moment, everyone is happy. So if it continues, why not?”
He also describes the impact Solskjaer, a former forward, has had on his own game as an attacking player.
“It’s been great for me to work with a manager who also was an attacker when he played. He gives me good advice, especially when it comes to positioning in front of goal and finishing technique.
“The best advice I’ve received from him is that I need to play to my strengths. He also told me not to put too much pressure on myself, and try to express myself on the pitch.”
The one thing Solskjaer isn’t, however, is a pushover, despite his relentlessly cheery demeanour. Whilst not the stern disciplinarian like his predecessor, Martial believes his new coach has just the right amount of toughness, combined with a seemingly natural ability to lift the mood of his players.
“He can be quite strict with people who have earned it. A good manager needs a bit of both, he needs to be firm with the players, but also create joy and good spirits, and that’s how he is,” he explained.
Solskjaer’s 100 per cent win record is on the line on Saturday as United host Brighton at Old Trafford before travelling to Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round on January 25. The Gunners face a difficult home encounter with Chelsea, and United could move above them into 5th place should they better their result.
