Ole Gunnar Solskjaer aimed a light-hearted dig at Manchester City ahead of this weekend’s derby, pointing out that the two clubs at least now play each other every year.
Solskjaer first faced City as a Manchester United player in 2001, in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, in his fifth season at the club.
While Solskjaer was winning trophies at home and abroad with United during the late 1990s, City were toiling in the second and third tiers of English football.
Two decades later, City are reigning Premier League champions and still 11 points clear of United despite a difficult title defence thus far.
When asked about what had changed in the derby since his playing days, Solskjaer said: “At least we play every year now. It took many years before I played a Manchester derby myself.”
Solskjaer also suggested that his side is ready for a physical contest on Saturday, despite his belief that Manchester derbies are not as hotly-contested as they once were, and asked referee Anthony Taylor to be lenient.
“It’s changed in a way. City are a better team now than when I was playing. Football has changed quite a lot, we were allowed a few more proper tackles.
“But with every little angle, everything being scrutinised now it’s more of a technical, tactical game than physical mental.
“A derby should be played as a derby, we don’t play basketball and we’re ready if that happens.”
