Solskjaer salutes United's 'fantastic' top-four march

MANCHESTER, England－Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urged his Manchester United stars to seize a "fantastic opportunity" to qualify for the Champions League after Mason Greenwood rescued a 1-1 draw against West Ham on Wednesday.

Solskjaer's side fell behind to Michail Antonio's penalty in the first half at Old Trafford.

But teenage forward Greenwood struck after the interval to lift United into third place in the Premier League. United is ahead of fourth-place Chelsea on goal difference after the Blues lost 5-3 at champion Liverpool.

United will finish in the top four if it draws or wins its decisive showdown with fifth-place Leicester City on Sunday.

United is one point ahead of Leicester going into its last game of the season at the Foxes' King Power Stadium.

"When we started after the lockdown, we had to go for it. We had to go for goal difference, we had to go for points," Solskjaer said.

"The effort has been fantastic and the results have been fantastic.

"Going into halftime we knew that wasn't the result we wanted. But you can't expect to turn teams over like we needed to have a different scenario for Sunday.

"We've given ourselves a fantastic opportunity and a great starting point for Sunday."

Solskjaer's team was well below its best against West Ham, but it is now unbeaten in 13 league matches and will complete an impressive surge into the Champions League if it emerges unscathed at Leicester.

It can also qualify for Europe's elite club competition if it wins the Europa League in August.

Solskjaer will have been relieved there were no costly mistakes from David De Gea after the United goalkeeper retained his place.

The Spaniard made two embarrassing errors that led to goals in United's 3-1 FA Cup semifinal defeat against Chelsea on Sunday.

West Ham's point ensured the east London side it is mathematically certain to avoid relegation.

After their sluggish loss at Wembley ended a 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions, Solskjaer's men made a more enterprising start this time and West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski was tested twice inside the first four minutes.

Mature Mason

Anthony Martial's stinging strike from just inside the penalty area forced an excellent save from Fabianski, who then plunged to his right to keep out a Greenwood effort.

Rashford tried his luck from 30 yards but his powerful drive was too close to Fabianski, while Greenwood's close-range shot was blocked by Angelo Ogbonna.

De Gea had been a spectator for the first 40 minutes, and when he was finally called into action Antonio's header lacked the power to trouble him.

De Gea still had to pick the ball out of the net moments before halftime after Paul Pogba gifted West Ham a penalty.

Declan Rice's freekick was smashed straight at Pogba, who instinctively stuck up his arms to protect his face.

Despite Pogba dropping to the turf as though he had been hit in the head, VAR confirmed the France midfielder's handball.

Antonio took the spot-kick, sending De Gea the wrong way for his sixth goal in his last three games.

United had let the first half drift out of its control, but Greenwood dragged them level with another demonstration of his remarkable maturity in the 51st minute.

Dropping deep to exchange passes with Martial, the 18-year-old kept his composure to drill a clinical finish past Fabianski from 12 yards.

No teenager has scored more goals in a single season in all competitions for United than Greenwood, whose 17th of the season moved him level with George Best, Brian Kidd and Wayne Rooney.

"He's bailed us out a few times and he's done it again," Solskjaer said."He's been absolutely top class ever since we gave him an opportunity.

"He trusts himself that his talent, his qualities, attributes, they actually work at the highest level."

Agence France-Presse