Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cited Roberto Firmino as the player who gave him the “most problems” as a manager and referred to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool as the finest the club has “ever had.”
The Reds put on one of the most overpowering performances in the history of the match as they defeated the former Man United manager’s team 5-0 at Old Trafford.
In his seven Premier League encounters with Liverpool as a manager, Solskjaer was winless, with his lone triumph coming in the FA Cup fourth-round matchup back in January 2021.
Speaking to The Athletic, the former striker was glowing in his comments for the Liverpool team he faced while serving as Man United’s manager, even joking that Klopp had improved upon the all-conquering 1980s squad.
According to Solskjaer, the teams that City and Liverpool had under their brilliant managers were the best that their clubs have ever fielded.
“I know that’s a bold statement considering how good Liverpool was in the 1980s, but they were an incredible team under Jurgen Klopp,” the author said.
In October 2021, Liverpool humiliated Solskjaer and his team with a 5-0 victory at the home of their fierce rivals. Less than a month later, the manager was fired from his position at Old Trafford.
The Norwegian noted that Roberto Firmino was the player who “most problems” during his coaching career. He was not unaware of the significance of the outcome.
“We played Liverpool at home during my last season. I thought the players were prepared for it, just like I thought they were when we traveled to City and triumphed.
We could have waited and countered, but I chose to take the risk. We were defeated 5-0. At halftime, possession and opportunities were roughly split 50/50, but we were still down 4-0.
“I made the incorrect choice, and that was by far the lowest point of my tenure as manager of United. The opponent’s player who arguably gave me the most trouble as a manager was Roberto Firmino.
It’s not the first time Firmino has won praise from a rival team; earlier this year, Man City’s Nathan Ake referred to the Brazilian as the “most difficult” attacker he had faced.
In May, after eight illustrious years on Merseyside during which he won every major prize available to him, Firmino said an emotional farewell to Anfield.
