Manchester — Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his team rediscovered their best form in Tuesday’s 9-0 Premier League thrashing of Southampton after two disappointing results.
Solskjaer’s side came into the contest after a goalless draw with Arsenal and a 2-1 defeat by bottom side Sheffield United but turned on the style against Southampton to equal their 1995 win over Ipswich Town.“We have been waiting on them [the players] to show the magic and tonight was a night that they could go and enjoy,” Solskjaer told BT Sport on Tuesday.
“Confidence is one thing, but it was about the mojo and spark, the X-factor. We haven’t had too many of them where we could sit down and enjoy the football. They enjoyed it, there were some good performances.” Victory lifted United to the top of the standings with 44 points, level with Manchester City who have two games in hand. It also boosted United’s goal difference to 19 and Solskjaer said that could be important later in the season. City beat United to the league title thanks to a better goal difference in the 2011-12 campaign after the teams finished level on points.
“You have to take your chances in tight or open games. You never know what might be the deciding factor,” Solskjaer said. “We know better than anyone what goal difference can do to you because we’ve lost the league on goal difference.”