Solskjaer hails impact of 'happy boy' Pogba

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester

United are now seeing the Paul Pogba he knows from his time in charge of the

club's reserve team after the French World Cup winner scored twice in a 3-1 win

over Huddersfield on Boxing Day.

Solskjaer's reign as caretaker manager

began with a 5-1 win at Cardiff on Saturday, and his dream start continued

with a resounding welcome by the Old Trafford faithful.

Nemanja Matic scored the opener, but

it was Pogba’s second half display and the Frenchman’s two goals that spoke

volumes about the change in mood at the club in the week since Jose Mourinho

was sacked as manager and replaced, until the end of the season, by the popular

Norwegian.

Solskjaer coached Pogba as a youngster

before the midfielder left for Juventus and United had to pay a then world

record £89 million to bring him back in 2016.

"That's the Paul I know,"

said Solskjaer. "The Paul I've known since he was in the reserves and

youth team with me.

"He has always been a happy boy,

he's always had a big smile on his face."

Pogba cut a less than happy figure for

much of this season as he clashed with Mourinho and was left on the bench for

the Portuguese's final three league games in charge.

"When you score a goal, or two,

of course you are happy," Solskjaer said.

"But when you play football for

Man United you should be happy. Of course it's a responsibility, but it's an

honour and a privilege.

"Paul loves playing for this

club. He's a Man United boy through and through, a kid who knows what it means

to play for Man United."

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De Gea's 'defining moment' -

The outcome could have been very

different, though, but for David de Gea's stunning save to keep out an effort

from Laurent Depoitre moments before Pogba's first and United's second

goal. 

"Dave's save was the defining

moment. One of the best saves I've seen," said Solskjaer. 

United swiftly went down the other end

and Juan Mata and Ander Herrera teed up Pogba to convert an accurate finish

from 16 yards.

Pogba had only scored twice in a

Premier League game once - in the derby  victory at Manchester City in April

that ranked as one of the highlights of Mourinho's time in charge.

But he would repeat the trick in

Solskjaer's second game in charge, exchanging passes with Jesse Lingard, before

beating Jonas Lossl with a spectacular right-foot finish from 25 yards after 77

minutes.

Solskjaer has had a whirlwind week

after temporarily leaving his role in charge of Molde to help out the club

where he spent 11 seasons as a player.

"It was extra special of

course," said Solskjaer of his return as manager to Old Trafford.

"But I was surprisingly calm, the boys settled me down really quickly.

"It's special to walk out there,

hearing the crowd again singing my song - normally they started after I scored

a goal, not before the game after I walked out!

"But it's humbling and made me

really proud. Hopefully, my family are proud and my family back home in Norway

watching on telly.

"It was a great day, I will never

ever forget, I'll never forget these two games."

Huddersfield claimed a late

consolation as substitute Steve Mounie outjumped Pogba to head on an 88th

minute Alex Pritchard free-kick, setting up Mathias Zanka who slotted in from

close range.

"We have seen again today that

they play with freedom," said Huddersfield manager David Wagner of

Solskjaer's new-look United.

"They penetrate the ball in the

right moments. In the first half we came under tremendous pressure but they

play with freedom and they still have world-class players. We have seen that

today."