Rashford benefits from Solskjaer’s tutelage

Jesse Lingard feels forward Marcus Rashford is turning into a lethal finisher under former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tutelage.

Lingard saw up close how the caretaker manager worked with Rashford during last week's training camp in Dubai and the coaching reaped immediate rewards as the 21-year-old England international scored the winner against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Sunday.

"Throughout the training sessions in Dubai, he's been practising his finishing with the manager," Lingard said.

"It's prepared him for big games and moments like that."

Solskjaer scored 126 goals during 11 years as a United player and his goalscoring tips have helped Rashford score in three consecutive English Premier League games for the first time in his career, ESPN reported.

Rashford has hit a purple patch, having scored six goals in his last nine games and Lingard says the whole team are profiting from a new philosophy under the Norwegian.

"We want to attack, we want to make those runs forward," the 26-year-old Lingard said.

"The midfielders are running forward and we're putting other teams under pressure. It's working and we need to carry it on."

Solskjaer has accrued six wins out of six since he took over last month and he has emerged as the front-runner to be named the next permanent manager of United, the Daily Mail reported.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward went into the Wembley dressing room after the victory against Tottenham to congratulate the caretaker boss.

The United board were also impressed by the work he did tactically in Dubai, according to The Sun.

However, former United midfielder Paul Ince has played down the impact Solskjaer has made, saying "anyone could have gone in" and revived United's fortunes following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

"We can't get too sucked in with what Ole's done," Ince told Paddy Power.

"It couldn't get any worse at United before Mourinho left. There was a dark cloud over the entire club, the players, the fans and the staff. It was impacting performances on the pitch.

"Ole's come in, a friendly face with a calming influence, and it seems the players have upped their effort as a result... but that doesn't mean that he is the right man for the job.

"I could have gone in and done the same thing, so could Steve Bruce. Anyone could have gone in and done what he has done, it wasn't a hard thing to give those players freedom and improve the mood."

POCHETTINO THE MAN

Ince feels that the Red Devils need to think long term and go with Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, as the Argentine has what it takes to close the gap with Manchester City and Liverpool.

"The club shouldn't be making rash decisions, picking a manager just because he's had six wins on the bounce, all of which came against below-average sides bar one. You'd like to think that even under Mourinho they'd have won those games," Ince, 51, said.

"People said the acid test was against Tottenham, but United won that by default of Spurs having an off-game in terms of scoring and David de Gea. They didn't outclass Spurs at all.

"I'd like to think that the Glazers and Ed Woodward will be looking at who is the right man for the next few years, rather than the right man right now.

"No disrespect to Ole, he's come in and done a great job so far, but he struggled at Cardiff and Molde are nowhere near United's level... The decision shouldn't be made just yet."

However, Jamie Carragher has dismissed claims that anyone could have taken over at United and achieved the same results Solskjaer has managed.

The former Liverpool defender told Sky Sports: "A lot of people thought before the Spurs game that 'anyone could have gone in there and done that'. It's absolute nonsense.

"He's made big decisions by leaving people out - (Romelu) Lukaku, an £80 million (S$139m) striker, on the bench. When he's brought him on, Lukaku's made an impact.

"Last season, when United finished second and got to an FA Cup final, Mourinho lost three games to promoted teams. So it's not easy to go and wipe the floor with these teams. Solskjaer has made a great start."