Salute for Solskjaer

Age Hareide gave a wry smile after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer increased his goal tally for Manchester United on Sunday.

"If I had known he was going to carry on scoring like this, I would have sold him for pounds 50m," the former Manchester City defender, now coach of the Norwegian club, Molde, said.

Solskjaer has made an impressive start to his career in England. His double against Tottenham increased his haul to five goals, including one in the Champions' League game against Rapid Vienna.

He is not the only sporting hero in the family, however, for his father, Oyvind, was a champion wrestler in Norway. "I believe Ole has inherited some of his dad's qualities like perfect balance," Hareide said. "He also tends to move in front of goal which unsettles defenders and goalkeepers. He has a good first touch and quick feet. We worked on his finishing, especially with his left foot and it has paid off."

"I saw the game against Tottenham on television and they were both quality finishes. He killed the defender for the first, then rolled the second one in. The sky's the limit for the boy as he is with the right club. If he had gone to Southampton, for example, it might well have been a different story."

"It is extraordinary the way he has handled the pressure and taken immediately to the big stage," Hareide said. "He is a quiet, calm boy who just loves playing football. Many experienced players freeze in front of crowds, but he doesn't seem to be one of them. All he is focused on is helping the team and scoring goals."