Edinson Cavani motivates most recent Man Utd rebound as Roma are destroyed at Old Trafford again to leave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side near the very edge of the Europa League last tournament
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has promised to keep trying to convince Edinson Cavani to stay at Old Trafford after his influential performances helped beat Roma 6-2 and put Manchester United on the path to the Europa League final.
The Uruguayan was brilliant for United in the second half following a Lorenzo Pellegrini penalty and Edin Dzeko’s sixth goal at Old Trafford. After Bruno Fernandez’s opening, Roma turned things around.
Cavani’s stunning first goal took United early in the second half before regaining United’s lead with a close-range shot due to his predatory instincts and lack of retrospectives as United broke out in the frenzy to smash Rome to pieces.
Cavani won the penalty, which Fernandez converted to 4-2, and after Paul Pogba scored with the fifth goal, he replaced Mason Greenwood in sixth, who saw United in the final in Gdansk in May.
“Of course we want to cross,” said Solskjaer. “Good reaction in the first half. I think we also played some good things in the first half, but we forgot that you have to run and run quickly. We did better in the second half and of course we did too.” creating more opportunities to attack.
“Edinson is wonderful. I’ve said he plays center-forward, he has to play, play the channel, be focused, create opportunities for other people, score goals.
“He missed some chances too, but he really has to do that. If he has three or four chances in the game, he will score two or three goals.
“I really admire him. You can see the difference, he filled the gym after a long absence. He made up for lost time.”
Solskjaer added: “He is more than just a goalscorer, he is a very good goalscorer. He played football for so long; he has calm and composure to himself.
“The film for [Fernandez] ‘first goal, the pass for Mason’s goal, it just shows his experience and we need him this season. We want and need our experienced players to go up and he will definitely do it.”
Cavani’s performance underlines the importance of keeping him at Old Trafford for the development of Solskjaer’s country.
The Uruguayan will be instrumental in Solskjaer’s hopes of securing his first silver as United coach following a rematch in Rome next week, and stepping up the challenge if they are to compete in the Premier League and Champions League next season.
Solskjaer hopes United’s midfield and the prospect of playing for Old Trafford fans can convince Cavani to stay in Manchester for another season.
“Edinson was away for seven months and didn’t play football for long before joining us,” said Solskjaer. “He’s had a lot of injuries and is working very hard to show his quality.
“He knows how I feel, he knows that I want to have him for another year, we talk about it. I understand that this year has been very difficult, but I promised him Old Trafford and Manchester would be another place with the Fans in it. Stadium.
“I did my best, a night like this [help], we hope to reach the final and I hope he sees him here for another year.”
