'A special kid', Ole calls Greenwood
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LONDON • Cristiano Ronaldo has not been re-signed to sit on Manchester United's bench but that does not mean that Mason Greenwood will make way for him.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hailed the wunderkind as "a special kid" after the England striker's winner in his side's 1-0 English Premier League win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, a victory the Norwegian admitted had an element of luck to it.
Wolves dominated for long spells at Molineux, but wasted a host of chances and found United goalkeeper David de Gea in inspired form.
The visitors created little in front of goal but one chance was all it took as Greenwood drilled home the winner 10 minutes from time, his third goal in as many league games.
The 19-year-old has now become the first teenager since Liverpool great Robbie Fowler to score in the first three games of a Premier League season.
He is also just one of only four players in top-flight history to score over 20 goals as a teenager, after Michael Owen, Fowler and Wayne Rooney.
England manager Gareth Southgate had intended to recall him for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers, but with the Red Devils wanting to manage his workload given his young age, he will remain at Old Trafford.
On Greenwood, Solskjaer said: "We have good players in either box and with Mason, the boy is unique, hitting the target, quickly, right foot, left foot, it doesn't matter for him.
"I had a good conversation with Gareth, I think the best thing at the moment is to focus on his everyday (club) football and I'm sure he'll come good for England."
Wolves have had 59 shots across their three league games but remain without a point or a goal, much to manager Bruno Lage's frustration.
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Mason Greenwood is the second teenager in Premier League history to score in each of his side's first three games of a season, after Robbie Fowler ( Liverpool) in 1994-95.
The hosts were also furious that no foul was awarded for a challenge by Paul Pogba on Ruben Neves in the build-up to Greenwood's strike.
But Solskjaer dismissed the complaints, with the imminent confirmation of Ronaldo's move imbuing United with confidence.
"Sometimes, you have got to earn your luck, and we got that today," he said. "In the Premier League, sometimes it can go both ways. Today we get three points, get a clean sheet, whereas on another day, things can go against you."
United's victory meant they set the record for the longest unbeaten away run in English football history at 28 games, beating Arsenal's mark from April 2003 to September 2004, and de Gea said there could be no more excuses as they bid to end their four-year trophy drought this term.
"It's good to win, but it's now time to play for titles," he added. "Records are okay, but you have to go for titles."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS