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Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his side have been lacking the striker’s instinct that Odion Ighalo has provided since moving to Old Trafford.
The Nigerian opened his account for the club in a 5-0 win against Club Brugge in the Europa League on Thursday and United will be in the hat for Friday’s draw for the next round. Ighalo had made two brief substitute appearances before the game following his shock loan move from China but he started against Brugge and found himself on the goalsheet when he converted Juan Mata’s cutback midway through the first half.
The former Watford man slotted home from within the six-yard box and Solskjaer has regularly bemoaned the lack of ‘scrappy’ goals that his side fail to score.
And, in a thinly-veiled dig at first choice centre forward Anthony Martial, Solskjaer praised Ighalo after the game for providing what United have lacked all season.
‘When you have a striker in [Ighalo]…he does what it says on the tin,’ said Solskjaer. ‘He plays up front. We can play up to him, he can get hold of it but the goal was a good example of what you want from Odion. ‘The ball goes over him, he spins quickly, gets himself of the centre back and taps it in. It’s what we’ve been lacking a little bit.’ Ighalo could keep his place in the starting XI for today’s trip to Everton as Anthony Martial is a doubt with a thigh injury.
The Frenchman was with the squad before the 5-0 win against Brugge but failed a late fitness test after complaining about a thigh issue. Martial has scored in each of his last three appearances but Solskjaer will have to choose between Ighalo and Greenwood should the former Monaco man be unavailable.
