Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel wary of the qualities of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel is wary of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s qualities and Manchester United’s never-say-die attitude ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash.

Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe’s goals at Old Trafford last month put the Ligue 1 champions in the driving seat ahead of the last-16 return fixture at the Parc des Princes.

PSG are the only side to have inflicted a defeat on Solskjaer since becoming caretaker manager in December, with the 2-0 loss the only setback in his remarkable 16-match reign.

The Norwegian has brought a refreshing positivity to the job and spoke up injury-hit United’s chances of progressing in the pre-match press conference, where he displayed the kind of determination and drive synonymous with the club under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Solskjaer played a key role under the Scot and sealed the treble with a last-gasp winner in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich – something put to PSG’s German coach Tuchel on the eve of the game.

‘It is better always to be aware of the qualities of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,’ he said.

‘He has showed a lot of times, not only to Bayern Munich, that he is a super sub and he was one of the key players of the biggest era in this club.

PSG have a two-goal lead from the first leg but Tuchel isn’t taking anything for granted

Solskjaer has made a superb impact since taking caretaker charge of Manchester United

‘He was a guy totally, as a striker, devoted to the team, always ready to help in half an hour, 20 minutes, 10 minutes or five minutes.

‘This is the spirit that made him big, and this is the spirit that, for me, I would describe Manchester United (as having).

‘So, it’s better for us to accept this reality that these guys are ready for everything and they will believe because it’s a strong club with a strong history, with a very strong record under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before us and after us.

‘More or less, only winning, winning, winning, so for me it’s totally normal that we accept this quality, that we respect this quality and we prepare for everything and we prepare for the best Manchester United.

‘It’s a big, big challenge for us and hopefully we can bring what we earned ourselves in the first match. Now it’s the challenge to bring it to the end and it’s a big challenge for us.’

PSG will assess the fitness of striker Edinson Cavani before the game against United

PSG managed to win at Old Trafford without the likes of Neymar, Thomas Meunier and Edinson Cavani, but the club’s fitness issues have improved since then.

Meunier has returned to the fold and Cavani’s fitness will be assessed on Wednesday after returning to training following a hip injury.

The PSG striker’s return will be a welcome boost to a group that Tuchel has urged to forget the first leg.

‘We should improve, work,’ he said. ‘There are things that we didn’t do well, definitely.

‘But the goal is to improve and work on these things.

‘It’s not always do better and better, and more and more, but sometimes it’s just take these mistakes and improve, work on these mistakes.

‘There are always things to improve in the way we play.

‘We need to find openings and I think the formation and the structure of the Manchester team will change, so for us it’s important to remain an offensive team, to show that we are offensive and that we are confident.’