'I was angry, disappointed, you had to wake them up... I could have changed every player at half-time': Ole Gunnar Solskjaer questions his Manchester United stars' desire at Sheffield United
* Sheffield United 3-3 Manchester United: Oli McBurnie scores last-gasp equaliser
* The Red Devils were 2-0 down but had turned it around to 3-2 in the 79th minute
* Ole Gunnar Solskjaer questioned a lack of desire in his United players on Sunday
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer questioned a lack of desire in his Manchester United players but insisted he will draw positives from Sunday night's helter-skelter draw.
The Norwegian claimed he could have hooked any one of his outfielders at half-time after David de Gea kept them in it when under siege by Sheffield United.
Solskjaer ended up hauling off Phil Jones after throwing the central defender in for his first league start of the campaign. Jones was at fault for John Fleck's opening goal.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was furious with his side's desire in the first half against Sheffield United. Manchester United were second best for the majority of Sunday's Premier League encounter
'I was angry, disappointed, you had to wake them up,' Solskjaer said. 'You had to do something about it. I could have changed every player at half-time, apart from the keeper.
'It wasn't about tactics. It was about the desire first half, getting first to the ball, tackling, winning challenges. Sometimes tactics go out of the window.
'You have to earn the right to win a game and we didn't have any right to win the game after 70 minutes. We were nowhere near a Man United team.'
Asked how worried he was about a perceived lack of hunger within his team, Solskjaer added: 'It's not about a lack of desire (per se)… maybe it is that confidence in themselves.
'I don't doubt them wanting to win but sometimes young players don't know how to win challenges like this. We've learned a lot today – I'm sure they have. Release the fear, play with belief and confidence.'
Solskjaer's substitution of Jesse Lingard for Jones at the break was an admittance of his mistake in midfield. United were a body light, with Andreas Pereira and Fred unable to cope with the Blades.
Both midfielders looked lost, Pereira particularly dazed and culpable for the second goal shortly after the break on an afternoon that amplified the importance of the absent Scott McTominay, who could miss another fortnight and a reunion with his great champion, Jose Mourinho, on December 4.
Paul Pogba watched on a mobile stream of ESPN from Miami, while Nemanja Matic is still not match fit. Solskjaer must be counting down the days until January.
'We could've started with Phil in there,' the United boss said. 'He's played there for England. Andreas and Fred have never played together.'
Defender Phil Jones was hauled off at half-time after a nightmare first half at Bramall Lane
Solskjaer was adamant there were positives to take from Bramall Lane, however, after watching a thrilling rescue act that brought three goals in seven minutes. He believes United of last year would have caved – and referenced the shambolic 4-0 defeat at Everton as evidence.
'Today was a very poor performance. To be honest, I was thinking back to Everton. That team gave up but this didn't. It was a great answer from the boys. We did play badly in the first half.
'We didn't stick to what we had planned. It looked like fear. You don't expect them to give up but last year we did.
'Now it's positive. Even though the big part of this game is negative and you're disappointed, to have the character to get it around is great. You're disappointed not to hold on (after Oli McBurnie's late equaliser).'
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7720747/Ole-Gunnar-Solskjaer-questions-Manchester-United-stars-desire-Sheffield-United.html