Ole Gunnar Solskjaer helped transform one player’s playing style after the Red Devils legend arrived at Old Trafford as Manchester United manager.
The 51-year-old Manchester United legend returned to Old Trafford in 2018 as caretaker manager after Jose Mourinho was sacked by the Premier League club.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed a scintillating run as caretaker manager and the Norwegian’s success led to his permanent appointment as head coach in 2019.
The former United manager saw both the highs and lows in the Old Trafford dugout, including leading the Red Devils to second place in the Premier League table.
However, Solskjaer’s reign ended without any major silverware after United suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Villarreal in the 2021 Europa League final.
The ex-Cardiff City and Molde boss bowed out of Old Trafford as United manager in 2021 after he was dismissed by the Red Devils following a poor start to the season.
Solskjaer arrived at Man Utd amid player’s woes
Andreas Pereira had been part of the PSV Eindhoven academy before he left the Dutch club and arrived at Old Trafford as part of Manchester United’s youth setup.
The 28-year-old attacking midfielder struggled to establish himself as a regular in the first team and only made 75 senior appearances for the Red Devils.
Pereira was loaned out to multiple clubs during his Old Trafford spell, including to the likes of Spanish side Valencia and Italian outfit Lazio.
Speaking to Premier League Brasil, the Brazil international admitted that he struggled to feel “comfortable” at United due to his lack of playing time.
“At United, I wasn’t a regular starter who played every game,” Pereira said.
“So, I think that was what was missing there for me to really feel 100 [per cent] comfortable.”
Pereira on Man Utd legend Solskjaer
Andreas Pereira’s spell at United came to an end in 2022 after the Red Devils sanctioned the sale of the player to Fulham in a deal worth £10m plus add-ons.
The ex-United player, who has made 93 appearances for Fulham, revealed his admiration for Solskjaer and the advice he received from him at Old Trafford.
“There were also coaches [who helped me], Solskjaer, when he arrived, told me that I had to be more intense, that there was no way for a traditional 10 to play without defending, just standing there waiting for the ball to arrive,” Pereira said.
“It was difficult, so I started to realise and change.”
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