Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his three Manchester United assistants fail to find the magic formula in Champions League loss to Barcelona at Old Trafford… FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED
Manchester United failed to register a single shot on target on Wednesday night as they slumped to a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Barcelona.
A first-half own goal by Luke Shaw made it advantage Barca at the midway stage of this two-legged Champions League quarter-final.
Sportsmail’s CHRIS WHEELER was at Old Trafford and below are five things he learned on Wednesday…
Lionel Messi discovered to his cost that Chris Smalling wasn’t joking when he promised to meet Barcelona’s challenge ‘head on’ before last night’s quarter-final encounter.
Smalling left a dazed Messi with a bloodied nose and needing lengthy treatment after flattening the Argentine superstar midway through the first half when he clattered him from behind.
‘Bring it on,’ said a defiant Smalling on the eve of this game. We didn’t know he was talking about the stretcher.
Lionel Messi was left with blood on his nose and left check at Old Trafford on Wednesday
Chris Smalling (right) flew through the air to head the ball and he caught Messi with his arm
2. Ander Herrera has been unlucky with injuries — first a hamstring strain now a thigh problem that ruled him out on Wednesday night — but it has coincided with the news that he is highly unlikely to stay at Manchester United beyond this season.
The Spaniard is said to be deeply unhappy that the Old Trafford hierarchy have not tried harder to renegotiate a contract that expires in June.
An unknown Italian club have joined Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal in expressing an interest in the former Athletic Bilbao midfielder.
3. Although Juan Mata has been linked with a move to Barcelona this summer, it’s not surprising he has already been earmarked for an ambassadorial role at United in future.
As well as his Common Goal charity, Mata has shown impressive diplomacy at his city centre restaurant, Tapeo and Wine, according to his father Juan Manuel.
‘Pep Guardiola comes here a lot and Jose Mourinho would come at least once every two weeks,’ he said. ‘We’d make sure they wouldn’t meet so I’d put them in different private rooms.’
4. United’s brains trust was on show during a break in play during the first half when three coaches — Mike Phelan, Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna — joined Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the technical area.
Everyone knows that Solskjaer likes to draw on the input of his backroom team but that was taking it a bit far.
Michael Carrick (right) sat next to Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the dugout
Mike Phelan (right) is another member of United’s brains trust who was at Old Trafford
5. The clash of two European heavyweights brought another one to Old Trafford on Wednesday night as Tyson Fury took a seat in the directors’ box.
The self-styled Gypsy King would no doubt like to perform here himself one day judging by his expression when the two teams walked out before kick-off and the Champions League anthem struck up.
