Marcus Rashford's half-time withdrawal in Manchester United 's Europa League win over AC Milan was enforced.
Rashford made way for Paul Pogba and the Frenchman scored within three minutes of his arrival to send United through to the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win.
Earlier this season, Solskjaer made half-time changes with United trailing at Southampton and West Ham that led to victories.
Pogba returned at the San Siro for his first game in 40 days and Solskjaer insisted the midfielder was not fit enough to start.
"Paul looked like he'd been out for six weeks, yeah for sure!" Solskjaer said sarcastically. "He's been working really hard but when you play football, it's different.
"He couldn't play more than 45 minutes and he'll get better and better. That's a big big boost for the rest of the season. The boys have done fantastic without him but we know Paul's qualities.
"Marcus had a little twinge, we couldn't take a risk with him, hopefully he won't be too bad."
United won at the San Siro for only the second time in their history and are firm favourites to triumph in the Europa League for the second time.
Solskjaer was an unused substitute on two previous trips to Milan against AC and Inter and was thrilled to preside over victory in one of the most revered stadiums in European football.
"Of course, when you win a game of football away from home in a stadium like this against a team like this you're very happy," Solskjaer beamed. "We started really well, I felt first 15 or 20 minutes we looked like a very good team.
"Then trhere was a spell halfway through the first-half to half-time, we rushed things, missed the ball, we lost the ball too often, made it a long game to their line, there and back, there and back.
"So we just had to readdress a couple of things and in the second-half we were much, much better."
