Man Utd beating RB Leipzig justifies Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handling of three players

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has had his critics so far this season. But Tuesday night’s Champions League win over RB Leipzig suggests the 47-year-old has got his handling of both Donny van de Beek, Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood spot on. All three, along with Marcus Rashford, impressed in the match at Old Trafford, helping their side to a vital three European points.

Before kick off, many United fans on social media were unhappy with their starting XI.

Solskjaer took a gamble by leaving both Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, two normally undroppables, on the bench for the showdown at Old Trafford.

However, on a night where PSG bounced back from their defeat to the Red Devils with victory over Istanbul Basaksehir, United picked up a crucial three points to boost their chances of making the knockout stages of the competition.

It was Greenwood, Rashford (3) and Anthony Martial who gave United victory, with the England pair scoring three between them and the France international converting a penalty.

But Van de Beek and Pogba sparkled as well.

Express Sport will now take a closer look at the trio’s performances and analyse how they justified Solskjaer’s handling of them in recent weeks.

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Donny van de Beek

Van de Beek’s absence has been a big mystery among fans and critics alike.

But Solskjaer has repeatedly insisted he’ll get his chance and, against Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday night, the Netherlands international took it.

United could have thrown Van de Beek into the fray a lot sooner but why take the risk?

Instead, they’ve waited until a time they can deploy the Netherlands international into his favourite position and that decision paid off against their Bundesliga opponents.

He wasn’t able to score but mucked in at both ends of the pitch with a fine professional performance. After so much time out he could have been forgiven for looking rusty but the 23-year-old looked right at home.

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Mason Greenwood

Greenwood hasn’t started for United since the chastening 6-1 defeat to Tottenham at the start of the month.

In the time since there’s been yet more rumours about his conduct, having breached lockdown rules in Iceland while away on international duty back in the summer.

Solskjaer has always insisted he has no issue with the 19-year-old but, still, has been reluctant to pick him of late.

But Greenwood’s time away appears to have worked, with the England international looking sharp against Leipzig and grabbing the vital goal early on.

United will now hope their decision to take Greenwood out of the spotlight will be a masterstroke. If this match is anything to go by, it might just be.

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source: express.co.uk