Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Champions League nights at Manchester United are ‘magic’ after the late Cristiano Ronaldo winner | football news

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer described Champions League nights at Old Trafford as “magical” after Cristiano Ronaldo’s late win against Villarreal.

Manchester United were on the verge of another European equaliser when Ronaldo scored in the 95th minute to secure their first points in the Champions League.

It’s the opposite of what happened two weeks ago when Young Boys stunned United in hindsight, and Solskjaer hailed the home team’s support on another memorable night at Old Trafford.

He said: “The Champions League Old Trafford is magic and sometimes history can help us. Tonight Cristiano came with a good goal and Alex” [Telles] He scored an amazing goal.

“That’s what happens here at Old Trafford. It’s happened many times before. We had to be careful with the wind and we got lucky in the end.

“Getting the three points at home is important. We know we need to get ten, maybe 12 points to qualify. It’s a huge result for the team and for the team spirit as well. It’s a better way to win. A game more than we lost a few weeks ago. But that’s football. It’s just highs and lows and today we’re getting a result that we’re happy to achieve.

“I’d rather win and lose than draw.”

Another headline-grabbing goal was from Ronaldo, who has outlasted Iker Casillas in all matches in the Champions League, having now played 178 matches.

Photo: Cristiano Ronaldo saved Manchester United again with a late victory

“He’s done it many times,” Solskjaer said. When I saw him against the Republic of Ireland a few weeks ago [for Portugal]He missed a penalty early and didn’t touch the ball more or less and then scored two amazing goals in the last two minutes.

“That’s what he’s done throughout his career. He’s very strong mentally. He stayed in the game, I saw him all day, the way he built himself for this game, how focused and when he gets this game a chance, it’s a goal. But the real mark of who plays at the end is very good. is that he remains calm when the opportunity arises.

“He’s very good in front of goal and he has an impact on everyone – the fans, the players, everyone.”

Photo: David de Gea made a series of impressive saves against Villarreal

He also paid tribute to goalkeeper David de Gea, who saved a string of world saves in the first half to keep United in a draw.

Solskjaer added: “It was a tough summer after the final. He went to Euro, he didn’t play there, but he really came back with a determination, belief and work rate that I enjoyed.

“Today, he got a deserved result because he saved us tonight, we have to be realistic and say it. We have two very good goalkeepers in Dean. [Henderson] and Tom [Heaton] Also, but tonight, David deserves me, man of the match.”

Fernandez: Attackers always have a feeling of scoring Photo: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after his goal in the 95th minute

Bruno Fernandes took home the captain’s armband for the evening, and said he was confident of his team’s victory on Wednesday.

He told BT Sport: “I always had the feeling we were going to win the game. When they scored, I felt like we could go back to the game and turn it around.

“After Alex’s goal, everyone feels the atmosphere was great, the fans pushing was amazing. There were some great saves from David who helped a lot to keep the score 1-1 and in the end with Cristiano, we always say the strikers have a sense of scoring and they helped us again.” .

“We finished the game with two strikers where we know, if we put the ball in the penalty area, Eddie and Cristiano are still alive in everything, and we know they can score at any moment. That’s why we started doing more crosses when Eddie came and we scored, We are really happy with that.

“It is always difficult to play against Spanish teams. We know they are playing really well, they are good with the ball and we know the coach as well as here in England already.

“Their teams always play good football, in defense too, they are organised. But I think we did a good job, sometimes we have to be patient and not press all the time. The main point was the three points and we did that.”

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