Caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer heaped praise on Manchester United’s players after their jaw-dropping Champions League triumph at Paris St Germain.
Three weeks on from suffering a 2-0 home loss to the big-spending Ligue 1 champions, the visitors upset the odds to seal progress from this last-16 clash in remarkable fashion.
Romelu Lukaku scored either side of Juan Bernat’s effort in a frantic first half that made way for an edgy second period at the Parc des Princes, where the video assistant referee’s late intervention proved the catalyst to a remarkable win.
Marcus Rashford slammed home a stoppage-time spot-kick after referee Damir Skomina adjudged Presnel Kimpembe to have handled as United ran out 3-1 victors to see them through to the quarter-finals on away goals after it ended 3-3 on aggregate.
Solskjaer’s side embodied the positivity displayed by their manager and spirit synonymous with the club over the years as they became the first team in Champions League history to overcome a first-leg home loss by two goals in a knockout match.
“I’ve got some fantastic memories,” the 1999 treble hero said. “Eh, football – that’s what it gives you.
“It’s special when you’re a coach or a manager doing it with your staff and players.
“The dressing room in there was absolutely unbelievable, just to see the whole club together with the owners, ex-managers, ex-players. Great atmosphere.”
Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona and co-owner Avram Glazer were among those to head to the dressing room to celebrate with the United players, who were heard chanting Solskjaer’s name after surely sealing the permanent manager’s position.
“I keep doing this job as best as I can every single day and let’s see where it takes us,” he said.
“It’s been a fantastic time with the players and the staff I’ve got working with me. I’m going to enjoy this job as long as I’ve got it.
“If it’s another two or three months, however long it is, I’m going to enjoy it, I’m going to smile.”
Solskjaer said “this is how we do things at Man United” when asked how Ferguson had reacted, while the interim boss lauded the likes of Fred, Scott McTominay and Lukaku.
Rashford was also picked out for praise as the academy graduate fired home his first spot-kick for United to wrap things up.
“Absolutely fantastic,” Solskjaer said. “Fearless, the kid is. He’s got no doubt, no fear and when you’re young you don’t have any fear.
“Of course, I wasn’t sure we were going to score.
“I’ve been in Champions League before with Molde and we played Basel and we got a pen last minute to go through and we missed it, so of course that went through my mind.
“But Rashy and Rom were on penalties today. It was up to them to fight to get it and Rashy slotted it, brilliant.”
The decision to award the penalty after VAR review was controversial, with injured PSG star Neymar vocal in his anger.
“I didn’t see it,” Solskjaer said. “I’ve not seen the video. I hope it’s the right decision.
“I tried to help the referee to calm my staff down, just sit down because there’s nothing we can do about it anyway. “I hope it’s the right decision and they say that, so it probably was.”
