Premier League 100: Remembering Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the player, Man Utd's super-sub but so much more

Part of his legend comes from him not being prominent enough for a starting place but the reality is United's baby-faced assassin was so much more that that

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was always good at disguising his true capability, as so many Premier League defenders can attest.

Just as he was initially dismissed as a manager on returning to Manchester United, he was initially dismissed as a player.

Roy Keane thought he was some young supporter who’d won a competition. The Irish midfielder was very quickly disabused of that notion, to the point he became one of Solskjaer’s greatest admirers, but time has similarly ensured the Norwegian has always been seen as something of a bit-part player.

Sure, he was also the player responsible for the greatest moment in United’s history, but part of the legend of that was because he was not prominent enough for a starting place; because he was the super-sub.

The reality is he was so much more, with much greater capability, especially in the Premier League.

It took a mere six minutes of actual match-time for him to prove that. That was how long it took on coming on as a sub for his debut, as he scored the final goal in a 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers.

For all that seemed to set his lasting perception as a super-sub, it that season did so much more. It emphasised with Sir Alex Ferguson was already considering: that this young striker he’d taken something of a punt was worth a starting place. He soon became club’s main finisher, as well as top scorer in a title-winning campaign where he’d scored so many key goals.

That is too easily forgotten amid all the predictable lines about being a super-sub, and a cut-price alternative to Alan Shearer in the first place.

He was one of the most prominent and influential players in a title season, and his first in England at that. Very few can say the former, and much fewer can say the latter.

It is ultimately why he deserves a high place on the list, but there was of course more.

It was Solskjaer’s renowned ability to analyse games from the bench that made him so valuable, especially as Ferguson did admittedly get more ambitious in his signings in order to conquer Europe, but was also source of what was probably his second greatest feat in the Premier League.

Solskjaer became the ultimate super-sub for United (Getty Images)

By the tense title run-in during the 2002-03 season, which was probably one of the greatest races the competition has seen, Ferguson had absolutely no hesitation about playing Solskjaer as his primary right-winger over David Beckham. He even played him there in the showdown against Arsenal at Highbury.

In other words, Solskjaer was technically and tactically good enough to learn a completely new position, and oust a bona fide club legend from the role. That is laudable. As was Solskjaer’s crossing, and his goal return. Solskaer still offered 16 goals that season.

Solskjaer enjoyed a glittering career at Old Trafford (Getty Images)

In between both of his best feats in the league there was of course the four goals against Nottingham Forest, the record haul for a substitute until Jermain Defoe surpassed him, the legendary take-one-for-the-team red card against Rob Lee and - of course - Camp Nou 1999 before injury greatly curtailed his contribution and ultimately his career.

He still had a Premier League career and influence beyond the vast majority to play in the competition. Not that you’d often think of it to look at them. You just have to look at the medals, the goals, and the play.