By Daily Sports on January 3, 2019
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joined Matt Busby in the Manchester United record books on Wednesday as his inspirational decision to bring on Romelu Lukaku as a substitute paid immediate dividends in a 2-0 victory against Newcastle.
The victory, secured after Lukaku scored with his first touch of the game in the 64th minute, clinched a fourth win in as many games for United’s interim manager.
And Solskjaer now joins United’s iconic former leader Busby as the only other manager in the club’s proud history to have started his career with four wins.
Lukaku pounced after Martin Dubravka had failed to hold onto Marcus Rashford’s ambitious 25-yard free-kick, the Newcastle keeper spilling the ball for the alert substitute to covert from close range.
The Belgian also had a role in United’s second, in the 80th minute, along with Alexis Sanchez, the former Arsenal striker who has been out for over a month and was brought on, along with Lukaku.
The two subs combined passes, as Newcastle pressed upfield in search of an equaliser, and Sanchez’s precise pass found Rashford in space, the young England striker having the poise to calmly roll the ball past Dubravka.
After a miserable first half to the season under Solskjaer’s predecessor Jose Mourinho, the win simply adds to the growing adoration being shown by United supporters towards their former player.
United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, widely criticised for his part in the club’s woes since the retirement of Alex Ferguson and their decline from the summit of the English game, had at least spotted the wisdom in his timing of Mourinho’s dismissal earlier this month.
It presented the interim manager with three eminently winnable games against Cardiff, Huddersfield and Bournemouth – victories which Solskjaer duly collected in some style.
But the visit to St James’ Park, at the end of a busy holiday period, was always going to be one that offered a far greater challenge to the “new-look” United and the opening half certainly served as a timely reminder of how much work Solskjaer still has to do if he is to elevate this season to anything above the instantly forgettable. (SuperSport)
•Photo shows Manchester United players
Source Daily Sports
Posted January 3, 2019
You may also like...
Dare Wants 12 International Standard Stadiums in Nigeria...
Ferguson Questions Plans For Global Super League
NFF Happy With CAF’s AFCON Qualifiers Postponement
FA chief receives counselling after abuse investigation
Lewandowski Hits Hat-Trick As Bayern Rout Frankfurt
Flamingoes land in Jordan

D’Tigress open W’Cup qualifying campaign with Colombia clash
Onigbide's contributions helped shape Nigeria’s football, NSC mourns ex-Super Eagles coach
Joshua career-earnings per punch recorded at £172k
Onuachu breaks 14-year Trabzonspor goal record
Musa dedicates derby win to Pillars fan
Rivers United’s scoring run thrills Finidi
How Arsenal can win Premier League
NWFL player Ihotu regains freedom after N1.5m ransom
Onyeka doubtful for Bristol clash
D’Tigers drop to 53rd in world rankings
Commonwealth Games: Nigeria’s boxing trials final hold today
Don’t compare Itauma to Tyson — Lewis
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,602 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,930 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,835 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,462 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,379 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,288 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,163 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,707 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,885 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,400 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,792 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,266 views)