What Manchester United loanee Odion Ighalo instantly learned from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Odion Ighalo reveals what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taught him at Manchester United
AFP via Getty Images
Matt Davies5 May 2020

Loan sensation Odion Ighalo has revealed he felt the benefits of working under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer instantly upon arriving at Manchester United.

The Nigerian attacker joined United on loan in January, immediately hitting the ground running, scoring four goals in eight games with an average of a goal every 80 minutes.

Despite his impressive stats, Ighalo states the Norweigian continued to push him to improve, providing detailed and individual advice on the training ground.

Solskjaer scored 127 goals for United and maintains a legendary status for his natural ability to find the net, a trait Ighalo asserts he is already learning from.

“When I moved to United, I learned a few things from him,” Ighalo said on United's official website.

(Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Manchester United via Getty Images

“During games… there was even a game I scored in, and he said ‘You should have scored more if you do this or do that’.

“I thought about it and I know if I would have done what Ole said, I would have scored more. He says: ‘You’re a striker, take the chance’. So I’ve learned a lot from him, in terms of positioning and how to do one or two things in a game."

Ighalo states Solskjaer's experience is particularly helpful for the attackers within the club, certainly a useful characteristic with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood excelling at such young ages.

“As a striker, it’s good when a striker is coaching you,” Ighalo added. “And, as a striker, you benefit even more than the defenders.

"He is someone who has scored goals for a long time and has done a lot for United, so it’s good to learn from him.”

The 30-year-old also reveals Solskjaer can regularly be seen joking with the squad but insists when it's time to be serious, the players know about it.

“He’s a very calm guy; he’s a good guy,” he said. “Outside of football, he’s a good guy. When everybody is laughing in training, he joins in and he talks to us, but, when it’s the game, you see a serious face. We have to do this, we have to do that - then it’s business time."

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