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Solskjaer lambastes Van Persie

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Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has hit back at Robin van Persie following his comments after their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on New Year’s Day.

After the game, Van Persie hit out at Solskjaer for smiling during his post-match interview.

When asked about the Dutchman’s comments before United’s FA Cup clash against Wolves on Saturday, Solskjaer told a press conference:

“I don’t know Robin and Robin doesn’t know me.

“He probably doesn’t have a right to criticise my management style and I won’t change. That’s definite.

“Yeah, Robin, he took my No.20 [shirt] and that’s probably all he’s going to take from me as well.

“Because I’m not in medieval times.”

At the wake of Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat against Arsenal on January 2, van Persie had criticised Solskjaer for his smiling reaction during his post-match interview.

“I listen to Ole, he sounds like a really nice guy,” the former United, Arsenal and Feyenoord attacker said, before adding:

“But I would like to see him a bit more edgy, a bit more mean at times.”

“[Angry] yeah, sometimes, it’s part of his job as well. Just be angry.”

“I see him smiling now, after a game like that, you know, and I think, ‘This is not the moment to smile.’“

United sit in fifth place in the Premier League table but missed the chance to close the gap on Chelsea as they continue to struggle for consistency.

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Their cause will not be aided at the start of 2020 by the absence of midfielder Paul Pogba, who is expected to be out for three to four weeks with a new ankle injury. Solskjaer revealed the issue was bone fragments, explaining:

“It’s not a big, massive injury.”

The Norwegian also responded to comments made by the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, over the Frenchman’s long-term future at Old Trafford.

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Asked if agents should be offering their opinions on the state of clubs, Solskjaer replied: “No.

He added:

“I don’t think I should be talking to agents or about agents that talk about us, but Paul Pogba is our player and agents are hired by players, not the opposite way around. What me and Paul Pogba are talking about, I don’t have to talk to you about. That will be between us.”

With Pogba joining Scott McTominay on the sidelines, Nemanja Matic is not only set to stay during the January transfer window but could yet extend his time at the club beyond the 2019-20 season.

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“Nemanja will stay. He’s been working hard to get back in and now he’s here and he’s playing well,” said Solskjaer, who added “there’s always a chance” of the Serbia international getting a new contract.

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