Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants Man United to replicate spirit of ’99 with another FA Cup win Liverpool

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will try to engineer another famous FA Cup win over Liverpool in the belief that it can push Manchester United to even greater success again.

Solskjaer was the hero in 1999 when he scored a late winner as United came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 in a fourth-round tie at Old Trafford.

It was a catalyst for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to go on and win the Treble with Ryan Giggs scoring an unforgettable extra-time decider against Arsenal in the semi-final before Solskjaer’s equally dramatic winner in the Champions League final. 

United and Liverpool meet at the same stage of the FA Cup at Old Trafford on Sunday, and Solskjaer believes that victory could give his team the edge in other big games this season.

‘Of course, we can transform a few things from that season,’ said the United manager. ‘We know that there are tight moments, very fine margins.

‘We know in that season we were close to going out against Liverpool. Peter Schmeichel saved a penalty from Dennis Bergkamp in the semi-final in injury-time.

‘Those moments, I think they gave us the mental advantage, especially in the semi-final. But against Liverpool as well in that fourth round, when you get that boost of turning 1-0 down to a 2-1 win against a big team it’s massive.’

As well as Liverpool and Arsenal, United also knocked out Chelsea and Middlesbrough from the top-flight en route to Wembley that season, and Solskjaer is ready to do it the hard way again.

‘Anyone can have an easy cup run, I’m not one of those. I never get an easy cup run!’ he said. ‘I’m never going to watch a draw ever again because we always seem to pick out the difficult opponents.

‘In a cup run, sometimes you can get to a final without really playing any of the top ones. This time around, we’ve picked one of the favourites and we know this is a big one if you want to go all the way.’

Solskjaer sees some similarities between ’99 when Ferguson was also able to choose from Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham, and United’s current strike-force of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood.

‘I used to play in a decent team and the gaffer had at least four centre-forwards to choose from,’ he added. ‘I think with the four front men we’ve got players there to choose from who can get us goals from any game against any opposition.

‘I’m very pleased with the ones I’ve got and we’re working hard to get the relationships with all of them, that we can use them all in different ways. Sometimes maybe all four of them will play.

‘You’ve got talents like Marcus, Mason and Anthony, and the experience of Edinson. It’s great to see them every day in training and in the games they complement each other. They’ve all got different attributes.

‘This season Marcus has scored about 14 or 15. Anthony, Mason and Edi will definitely chip in and score goals. Last season Mason, Marcus and Anthony scored I don’t know how many – 60ish?

‘We’ve got those three for many, many years anyway and Edi can help with his experience for the time that he’s here.’