Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stepped off the bench to propel Manchester United into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
The Norwegian striker has a habit of scoring crucial goals and this third-round match was no exception. He scored the winner in stoppage time, the striker's effort squirming under the body of goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly.With Henrik Larsson marking his debut for United by finding his scoring touch, it was a good day for manager Sir Alex Ferguson.However Villa looked to have secured a replay when substitute Milan Baros equalised but Solskjaer had the last word.
Fergie delight with Scandinavean double act
Sir Alex Ferguson congratulated his Manchester United team on a 'deserved' FA Cup third-round win over Aston Villa as he vowed to continue to battle on three fronts this season. Ferguson was gearing up for a replay in the midlands until substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored an injury-time winner to give the hosts a 2-1 verdict following a debut goal for United's loan signing Henrik Larsson.
'I think we deserved to win the game, because we made a host of chances,' said the United boss.
'But you have to feel a bit for Villa, because when they probably deserved a goal when they really started to become a threat to us - and I'm sure Martin O'Neill will feel gutted at losing a goal so late in the game.' Solskjaer's late intervention not only settled the issue but convinced Ferguson his team have the mettle to continue to dig deep in the Cup, the Barclays Premiership and the Champions League too. 'It is always a good indication of a side when they score late goals, because it shows they have a bit about them,' he reasoned.
Asked how optimistic he is that his team can keep going in all competitions, he said: 'We have to go for it. There's no point being negative; you have to be positive and see where it takes you.'
As for his two goalscorers, Ferguson was delighted with their all-round efforts - particularly the first impression made by Larsson. 'We had to find out about him. Playing at home in this game was a great chance to do that, and I am pleased with him,' he said. 'He's been looking terrific in training and he could have scored three or four goals.'
Evergreen Solskjaer, who came on in the second half for Larsson, once again came up trumps for United when his shot squirmed under the body of Villa goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly. 'When Ole gets in these positions you always expect him to hit the target,' said Ferguson.
'To have nine goals so far is a phenomenal effort - I don't think anybody expected him to score so many by this time of the year.'
Villa boss O`Neill reported Kiraly was 'distraught' after allowing the winner from Solskjaer to squirm under his body. 'He came to us with the best of intentions, and we are grateful for him to come when we had a goalkeeping crisis some weeks ago. Palace gave us permission to take him on - and I am grateful to him,' he said. 'He is distraught, because it is a goal he probably should have stopped.'
O`Neill claimed Villa had their best spell when they went behind. 'Ironically we had a bit of belief about ourselves then. There was no point letting the inevitable happen, where we lost by two and three,' he said. 'We pressed forward, and when we got equaliser it was a good spell. I thought we deserved it.'
Asked about Larsson`s goal, O`Neill said: ' People used to say he could score in Scotland - but could he score elsewhere? I said `no problem', providing he gets enough service. He is as fit as he could possibly be and he will get goals.
'For us, we are in the results business and we have to win some games.'
一路睇落去都幾驚下.....好在有娃娃面係90min+ 救番曼聯一命....(又令我想起3冠王時o既情況). Larsson又勁對板呀...第一場就有波入...仲要同朗尼& c.朗夾得唔錯...第一場已經可以打到咁....真係prove到佢係一個世界級o既射手......我諗曼聯呢3個月要head住車仔都唔係太大問題啦.....如果Larsson可以一路咁勁o既話...話唔定到時費sir會叫佢留低踢到季尾都唔定.....
