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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Blames The Ball After Manchester United's Draw With Club Brugge

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Blames The Ball After Manchester United's Draw With Club Brugge

United drew 1-1 with the Belgian side last night.

Daniel Marland

Daniel Marland

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has claimed that the match ball being 'light' had an impact on Manchester United's draw with Club Brugge on Thursday night.

The game ended 1-1 and United's crucial away goal has left Solskjaer positive about his side's chances of getting to the Europa League quarter-finals.

But the Norwegian was displeased with the ball used for the game as well was the harsh conditions.

Image
PA

"It was a difficult game against a well-organised team in difficult conditions," he said per Daily Mail. "I don't think it was one of the best games that anyone's seen.

"A bit sloppy concentration-wise, but the conditions with the pitch and the ball makes it hard.

"It's just different and difficult to play with," Solskjaer said of the ball, provided by Japanese company Molten. "You can get one and try! It's light.

"But it's the same for the two teams, of course. But the conditions weren't nice, the wind and the rain."

'But anyway, strange goals for both teams. Their throw-in we scored from and a long kick straight through the middle, so lack of concentration probably from both teams there."

Brugge took the lead 15 minutes in after Emmanuel Dennis lobbed an onrushing Segio Romero.

Anthony Martial netted his second goal in two games after capitalising on a Brandon Mechele mistake.

Image
PA

United made multiple changes from their 2-0 victory over Chelsea on Monday, with new signing Bruno Fernandes not starting the game.

"We needed to make everyone part of the squad (so I made changes), gave them games.

"We've got so many games now, so we got an away goal, we got a draw. We go home next week so hopefully we can finish the job."

'The Red Devils' will be buoyed by Martial beginning to find the goals after Solskjaer revealed Marcus Rashford may not play again this season.

"It was a good goal today," the 46-year-old said. "He wasn't really in the game before he scored the goal.

"We didn't create enough, or we didn't make enough runs in behind to create space for Anthony and it was a frustrating night for him until then.

"Then (a) good goal and then he gets a good chance with his left foot, good strike, good save by Mignolet."

The two sides face off in the return leg at Old Trafford next Thursday.

Featured Image Credit: PA & BT Sport

Topics:ย Football, Europa League, Manchester United, Club Brugge, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer