Man Utd Pogba tactic shows Solskjaer deserves the job

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not the only 'Ole' they serenade at Manchester United. "Ole, ole, Ander Herrera," the raucous United contingent chorused in the Shed End. Ole might enter the top 10 of newborn baby boy names in Greater Manchester this year.

Paul could also become nearly as popular. Though Herrera steered United into the lead against Chelsea, it was through the brilliance of the totemic Pogba, who is prolonging his habit of topping finishes through assists. Pogba was not satisfied with that and, on the stroke of half-time, crowned his first 45 minutes with a fabulous throwback goal. He has 14 for the season now and nine have come under Solskjaer's schooling.

They still do not have a chant for Pogba but they are not short of them for Solskjaer, who has added another feather to his flowing cap. This was United's first victory at Stamford Bridge in 10 attempts and only their fourth of the century. Coincidentally, United's last triumph at Tottenham prior to their January win also came in 2012. Solskjaer has lifted a couple of capital hexes. Tottenham, Arsenal, Fulham and Chelsea have been toppled. Solskjaer has his own brand of capital punishment.

The Norwegian was involved in that rip-roaring FA Cup triumph at holders Chelsea back in 1998, albeit as a substitute. He emerged with United 4-0 up and they made it five two minutes later. Solskjaer has become quite nostalgic with his pre-match meetings and may have drawn on his knowledge of United's incisive encounters from yesteryear to motivate them again. United's goals on Monday night evoked more memories of the Sir Alex Ferguson's epoch.

Ferguson was in attendance at United's bogey ground and can now be pleased with the knowledge he is no longer the last successful United manager at the Bridge. Solskjaer has played down the parallels with his mentor in recent weeks as he attempts to impose himself as his own man. He displayed tactical acumen once more by beckoning Pogba to move further towards the left-hand side in the hope he would replicate his halcyon days with Juventus in a similar role and set-up. Pogba did just that with one of those curling Hollywood passes the late Eric Harrison urged David Beckham to cut out of his game. Herrera ghosted to the far stick a la Paul Scholes and Kepa Arrizabalaga was helpless. Ping it like Pogba.

This was a more than reassuring response to the Paris Saint-Germain disappointment from Solskjaer and Pogba to his European expulsion. On the stroke of half-time, he barged past the feeble Jorginho and N'Golo Kante just beyond the halfway line, slotted the ball into the right-hand channel for Marcus Rashford and raced into the area to connect first-time. It was Pogba in a microcosm; the embodiment of the clinical, counter-attacking United his caretaker coach has restored over the last two months. Silk and steel.

There was a time where Kante was trumpeted over the United midfielder. That comparison piqued Pogba under Mourinho and there was not a flicker of an inferiority complex as he dominated his compatriot on a Monday night he was almost as dominant as the United support. Jose Mourinho hoped Pogba would be his 'captain midfield' signing and the evidence suggests Pogba should inherit the armband next season, irrespective of who his manager is.

His current manager displayed more tactical variety, settling on a diamond with Juan Mata at the apex on the strength of his talismanic display at the Bridge back in October. Romelu Lukaku was recalled to partner Marcus Rashford. Alexis Sanchez, his form likened to ketchup stuck in a glass bottle by Solskjaer on the eve of the game, was a substitute again. That was maybe the most telling decision Solskjaer has taken with the careworn Chilean.

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It was an eventful first 20 minutes. Sergio Romero repelled David Luiz's swerving free-kick and clung onto Pedro's rebound in front of the United contingent in the Shed End and Kepa Arrizabalaga unconvincingly parried Herrera's speculative hit. Gonzalo Higuain, an infamous bottler in eminent encounters, finished meekly twice.

Lukaku sought reassurance from his manager and Rashford drew fouls from centre-backs Luiz and Antonio Rudiger. Lukaku was not lacking in determination but was lacking a cushioned first touch. Arrizabalaga almost assisted Rashford in the 26th minute with a loose touch inside the six yard area that prompted the United goalkeeping coach Emilio Alvarez to glance disapprovingly at David de Gea behind him.

United's set-piece set up for a Chelsea corner vexed Michael Carrick, mindful Rudiger had converted from one at the Shed End four months earlier. Their anxiety was eased by Herrera's box-to-box brilliance in the 31st minute and then Pogba's in the 45th. Arrizabalaga was culpable for the second, if not the first.

The celebrations in the United dugout that greeted Herrera's header were typically euphoric but the exuberance suggested the plan had come together. All that hollering at Pogba was worth it. On one occasion, Pogba suggested Mike Phelan pass on the instructions to Herrera, who was within earshot amid the Red din. Pogba is earning that indulgence under the new regime.

"Sarri, change it, ya f****** idiot," bellowed a Chelsea fan adjacent to the dugouts as the referee blew the half-time shrill. "It doesn't work!" Chelsea were more penetrative after the pause, as United inevitably withdrew and Luke Shaw executed a potentially goal-denying intervention on Pedro. Solskjaer confirmed his stall by sending Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira to warm-up within moments of the restart. Chelsea barely threatened again as Stamford Bridge threatened to fall down.

Solskjaer's thinking was partially influenced by Nemanja Matic's aggressive tackling, despite having been carded in the 15th minute. That did not antagonise Chelsea's following as much as Maurizio Sarri's hackneyed substitution of like-for-like midfielder Ross Barkley for Mateo Kovacic.

"F*** Sarriball," they yelled, before paying a paean to Frank Lampard. "Sacked in the morning," United fans chanted. Chelsea's joined in. "Bring back Mourinho," United supporters chirped.

They have Ole at the wheel.