Solskjaer picks out Man Utd scorer for special praise in Leeds win
Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised Dan James for his big impact as the Red Devils swept aside Leeds 6-2 on Sunday evening.
The Norwegian celebrated two years in the Old Trafford hot seat in style on Sunday as the old foes met in a top-flight encounter for the first time since February 2004.
Scott McTominay set the tone by becoming the first player in Premier League history to score twice in the opening three minutes of a match, with Bruno Fernandes and Victor Lindelof also netting in the first half.
FEATURE: Man Utd tear through Leeds as Solskjaer nears perfect blend
Liam Cooper pulled one back for Leeds just before the break, but James and a Bruno Fernandes penalty put the hosts further ahead before Stuart Dallas scored a stunning consolation as the match ended 6-2.
And Solskjaer was full of praise for James, whose pace caused Leeds all sorts of problems as the result moved Man Utd up to third in the Premier League standings.
“I think you saw what he did for us today, of course,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports. “Starting off on the front foot, he’s so quick and sharp.
“For me, I don’t know if it’s inside or outside, but it’s either a penalty or a free-kick for Dan when he gets his arm and he gets a yellow card for diving. That’s shocking refereeing.”
He added to BBC Five Live: “He’s been biding his time, been patient, been working hard and he’s still as fit as a fiddle and I was very, very pleased for him.”
On the performance of his side, Solskjaer continued: “That was fantastic from the first minute.
“We had a plan to get after them, go forwards when we had the ball and Scott McTominay got two goals in the first three minutes! We found a way of getting them going. Just imagine if there were 75,000 people in, it would have gone down in history as one of the great performances against Leeds.
“We had to earn the right to win by running as much as them, that’s a challenge against Leeds who are one of the fittest teams in the league. It could have been 12-4! It’s that kind of game.
“I enjoyed it, it was frantic, hectic. No matter what the score is they have a certain attitude or style, if they are 5-0 up or down.
“We are not even at the halfway point, the league position is not something we look at we look at the improvement of the team.
“Now we are getting fitter and stronger. Our fans needed that one.”