Football
Rob Dawson, Correspondent 4y

Solskjaer knew seven-year-old Greenwood was destined for the top

MANCHESTER -- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knew Mason Greenwood was destined to be a Manchester United star when he was just seven years-old.

The United boss watched Greenwood, now 18, train at the Cliff more than a decade ago and says he knew then he would make it to the top.

"I remember when I met him for the first time because my son was training at the Cliff as an eight-year-old, Mason was seven," Solskjaer said after watching Greenwood score twice in the 4-0 win over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

"The first time I saw him he stood out and I took a picture with him.

"His dad mentioned it and I do remember the kid because I remember talking to Noah [Solskjaer's son] about that. So when he signed his contract we had a little nice memory. I knew he was going to be a player."

After following up wins over Tottenham and Manchester City with a comfortable victory over Alkmaar in the Europa League, Solskjaer's side face Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United's last meeting with Everton in April ended in a humiliating 4-0 defeat but Solskjaer insists the problems that plagued his team that day at Goodison Park have been eradicated.

"We lost quite clearly against Everton last year," Solskjaer said. "We've spoken enough about what happened that day and how we looked like a team. It was more or less a shambles but I've said too many times this year as well, we're not that group anymore.

"This is a different group, a group that's ready for the fight and is ready for the football. Mentality sometimes is strange to explain. The mood is the camp is different, definitely."

Everton have confirmed Duncan Ferguson will lead the side at Old Trafford after guiding them to a morale-boosting victory over Chelsea in his first game in charge following Marco Silva's dismissal.

Ferguson is the latest manager to take charge of his former club after Solskjaer's appointment at United, Frank Lampard's appointment at Chelsea and Arsenal's decision to hand the reins to Freddie Ljungberg.

"It's about Duncan, he knows Everton," Solskjaer said. "Frank knows Chelsea. Fredrik has been at Arsenal and knows Arsenal well. I know this club well. I don't know how other clubs think but I know we have traditions we need to keep. We need to stick to them and the values of the club. The others might start thinking the same."

Jesse Lingard is a doubt for Everton's visit after missing the win over Alkmaar with a hamstring problem. Paul Pogba is set to miss out again but is expected to return to full training on Monday along with Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah.

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