Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he WOULDN'T tell his Manchester United stars to hack down a player to deny a goal scoring chance... but admits he has no regrets over the red card he once got for doing the same, despite being blasted by Sir Alex Ferguson!

  • Ole Gunnar Solskjaer only picked up one red card while at Manchester United
  • Striker was sent off in a Premier League game against Newcastle United in 1998
  • Solskjaer cynically hacked down Rob Lee to deny a goal scoring opportunity
  • Although applauded by fans he was furiously criticised by Sir Alex Ferguson 
  • Solskjaer admits he was told that it 'was not the Manchester United way' 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has claimed he would not advocate his Manchester United stars to copy one of the more cynical moments of his playing career when he was sent off against Newcastle United.

Solskjaer is a United legend following his playing days after helping them to win the Treble in 1999 but his time at Old Trafford is also remembered for the only red card he picked up at the club early on his career.

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With United chasing victory against Newcastle United in April 1998 to keep alive their Premier League title hopes, the striker raced back to hack down a counter attacking Rob Lee with a cynical and dangerous sliding tackle with just a minute to play.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is sent off by referee Uriah Rennie after cynically hacking down Newcastle United's Rob Lee in an April 1998 Premier League encounter

Whether it was by denying the Toon midfielder a goal scoring opportunity or for his rash challenge it led to the Norwegian being sent off - having only been on the pitch for 10 minutes as a substitute.

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Although he was given a standing ovation by supporters at the time for sacrificing himself for the team, Solskjaer admitted manager Sir Alex Ferguson was left furious with his conduct.

'Oof. I wouldn't ask any of my players to do it, because the hairdryer I got after the game, and the reasoning why he gave it to me, is a valid one,' he told Manchester United's website.

The United boss though insists he has no regrets over the tackle and that he would do it again
However, he also stated he would not ask any of his players to make a similar sacrifice, insisting it's 'not the Manchester United way'

'With Man United, you don't want to win that way. It's not the way we do things. The fans loved it though!'

United would still draw the game at Old Trafford 1-1 and go on to lose the title to Arsenal, but Solskjaer has no regrets over making the rash challenge.

In fact, the current United boss said he would do it again, insisting he made the tackle only for the benefit of his team-mates - despite then not featuring in any of the remaining three games of the campaign. 

Solskjaer admits his challenge drew an irate response from boss Sir Alex Ferguson (right)

'I'd probably do it again though, because I don't think I'd want to change anything in my career because I don't think I'd be sat here now then.

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'Whatever little decision you make has a consequence on the next. But… I'd do the same.

'I did it for the right reasons, and that was that I was only thinking about my team-mates and the team.

'We lost the league by one point that season and there were two minutes to go before full-time when we needed to get back up the other end and win the game.'