Ex-Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits surprise at Jose Mourinho reaction after Tottenham thrashing

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed the surprising way Jose Mourinho reacted when Tottenham thrashed Manchester United.

United and Spurs will go head-to-head in the Premier League on Sunday, three years and three months on from an embarrassing defeat for the Red Devils.

Former United striker Solskjaer was in the dugout when Spurs came to town in October 2020, and Mourinho was his opposite number.

The Portuguese coach led United for two-and-a-half years but was sacked and replaced by Solskjaer in December 2018.

When he returned to Old Trafford for the second time with Spurs in 2020, he slapped his former employers with a 6-1 defeat.

Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min both scored braces as Spurs fought back from conceding an early Bruno Fernandes penalty.

Speaking ahead of the return fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021, Solskjaer revealed how Mourinho acted after the thrashing. It may surprise some fans.

"Jose Mourinho was very dignified after the game, from what I remember," Solskjaer said.

"He was almost apologetic because he knew how hard it was for me to take. I have the utmost respect for Jose. You shouldn’t always believe all that is said and written about him. There were plenty of positives from his time here and he has been a manager who I look up to.

Image: Alamy

"To be honest I don’t really remember what I did personally after that game. It was an international break so I had a long time to think about it. It wasn’t the best international break I've ever had. But we had some words in the dressing room - and I think the results afterwards have been there to see."

The result equalled United's record defeat of the Premier League era, although that was surpassed when Erik ten Hag's side lost 7-0 to Liverpool last season.

Solskjaer was relieved of his duties a little over a year after that forgettable day at Old Trafford and has not taken up a managerial role since. However, he is reportedly in talks to become the next manager of Sweden.

Mourinho was sacked by Tottenham just six months after the 6-1 win, but he landed on his feet when he was appointed the manager of Serie A side Roma.

The Special One led the club to UEFA Europa Conference League glory in his first season in charge, but he is now under pressure with Roma languishing in mid-table.

Topics: Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, AS Roma

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a Sports Trends Writer at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He enjoys running, cooking and watching non-league football.

@alex_brotherton