Ole Gunnar Solskjær blames one Manchester United moment for his managerial reputation

Ole Gunnar Solskjær reckons that one key moment has defined his tenure as Manchester United manager.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær‘s reign as Manchester United is one that is remembered with mixed feelings.

He provided fans with some of the best moments the club have experienced since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, with some memorable wins away against the likes of Arsenal, Paris Saint Germain, and Manchester City, but also had his tenure littered with criticism.

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One thing that Solskjær believes was missing from his time as manager was a trophy. The squad did reach the 2021 Europa League final and lost 11-10 on penalties against Villareal after drawing 1-1 in 120 minutes.

“Well, there’s something missing: a trophy,” he explained to The Athletic when asked about his time at the club as manager. “One penalty could have changed that (in the shootout defeat to Villarreal in the Europa League final) and my time there would be viewed differently.”

United lost 11-10 due to David de Gea’s penalty miss – the shootout was so close that both goalkeepers ended up taking a penalty each, and De Gea’s penalty was saved, which Solskjær highlights as the differing moment where his time as manager may have been remembered differently.

“Trophies are important, but it was also important to lay the foundation of good performances. We managed to do that for a long time, consistently. Ultimately, that’s not good enough, but the remit I was given was to get fans smiling again and we had something going.”

Solskjær also almost laid claim to other trophies, but ultimately his squad lost out in key moments during cup runs – something that the side was criticised for regularly at the time.