THE NOTEBOOK: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is spotted at Old Trafford for the first time since he was sacked
THE NOTEBOOK: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is spotted back at Old Trafford for the first time since he was sacked, Anthony Martial breaks a goal scoring drought and Wolves’ torrid away record continues at Man United
Manchester United took another step towards Champions League qualification on Saturday as they beat Wolves 2-0.
Anthony Martial opened the scoring in the first half, before Alejandro Garnacho sealed the three points in the 94th minute.
The result puts United level on points with Newcastle, albeit with much worse goal difference, and puts them four points clear of fifth place Liverpool.
For Wolves, the result means they have taken just one point from their last seven away games in the Premier League.
Sporstmail’s CHRIS WHEELER takes a look at some of things you may have missed at Old Trafford.
Anthony Martial scored the opener on Saturday as Manchester United beat Wolves 2-0
Alejandro Garnacho added another in the fourth minute of second half injury time
Solskjaer back at Old Trafford
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his first appearance at Old Trafford since he was sacked as Manchester United manager 18 months ago.
Solskjaer posed for photos as he made his way towards the directors’ box before kick-off and again at half-time.
The more vocal United fans massed around the players’ tunnel broke off from their anti-Glazer chants to serenade Solskjaer with a chorus of ‘who put the ball in the Germans’ net’ in homage to his winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
The 50-year-old United legend had appeared at ‘An Evening with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’ at the Mercure Hotel in Manchester on Friday night when tickets – priced between £129 and £425 – were sold out.
Solskjaer has split his time between his homes in Cheshire and Norway since he left Old Trafford in November 2021 with a £7million pay-off, and has yet to return to management.
His appearance here came at the end of a week in which his former team-mate Dwight Yorke said that ‘Erik ten Hag losing more Premier League games than Solskjaer in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons has to be called out’.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was seen in the director’s box at Old Trafford 18 months after his sacking as Red Devils boss
Valencia in the director’s box
Solskjaer wasn’t the only former United player paying a rare visit on Saturday. Antonio Valencia was back at the club where he made the majority of his 325 Premier League appearances – a record for a South American player.
Solskjaer was in charge when United decided not to extend Valencia’s contract in 2019.
The Ecuadoran international left as a free agent that summer, going home to finish his career at LDU Quito and Mexican club Queretaro.
Antonio Valencia was also in the director’s box, sat in front of his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson
Julen Lopetegui’s side have won just twice away from home in all competitions this season
Martial ends the drought
Anthony Martial’s opener was only United’s second goal in five hours and 47 minutes of football.
After narrowly beating Aston Villa, they failed to find the net when losing by the same scoreline to Brighton and West Ham.
French forward Martial scored United’s second goal in five hours and 46 minutes of football
Torrid travels for Wolves
Wolves have won away from Molineux just twice this season in all competitions, although this was a big improvement on the 6-0 drubbing at Brighton a fortnight ago.
United’s schedule clears
This was only United’s ninth match on a Saturday this season.
Due to their involvement in the Europa League, Erik ten Hag’s side have played 16 times on Thursdays and 20 on Sundays.
