Relief for Solskjær as plot twist ahead of crunching Manchester derby

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Manchester United ended a run of four league games without a win with a brilliant display in North London as they earned a 3-0 victory over Tottheham Hotspur thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and substitute, Marcus Rashford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Pep Guardiola in a Manchester derby game. (Credits: gettyimages)

Ronaldo put United in front six minutes before the break with a superb volley, after a well weighted pass by Bruno Fernandes. Ronaldo turned creator four minutes after the hour mark, setting up Edinson Cavani to make it 2-0 to the visitors.

Marcus Rashford made it 3-0 in the closing stages of the match, assisted by Namenja Matic as Ole Gunnar Solskjær gets some breathing space after a long week of talks about his status as the Manchester United manager.

With the win, Ole Gunnar Solskjær side are now just three points below their City rivals on the Premier League standing ahead of their meeting at the Old Trafford Stadium next weekend.

Goals from Wilfred Zaha and Conor Gallagher condemned Manchester City lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace and that changed the complex of the derby coming up next weekend.

Had City won, they would have been nine points ahead of their city rival before kickoff at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but as it stands, they kickoff at Old Trafford in the early kickoff next Saturday knowing a loss and United will go level on points with them.

A real plot twist ahead of the next gameweek and Ole Gunnar Solskjær will only hope his players can step up against the defending champions as they did against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. But for now, he can enjoy the win as relax after days of negative atmosphere around him.


Afolabi Kehinde Hassan

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