Ole Gunnar Solskjaer draws comparison between Mason Greenwood and Cristiano Ronaldo

Mason Greenwood

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has likened Mason Greenwood to Cristiano Ronaldo after the youngster's left-footed goal against Newcastle on Boxing Day.

Greenwood was on target in the first half of Manchester United's come-from-behind 4-1 victory at Old Trafford.

The 18-year-old was handed his second Premier League start of the season and repaid the faith shown in him by Solskjaer.

Greenwood has now found the back of the net on three occasions in the top flight, as well as once in the League Cup and four times in the Europa League.

And Solskjaer says the teenager's ability to score with either foot reminds him of Juventus forward and United legend Ronaldo.

"There are not too many I can remember like him who has every single technique. He's not just 50-50 with both feet but probably 60-60!" he said.

"Cristiano can score just as many with his left and they are proper strikes. But Mason can curl the ball with both feet, he is an exceptional finisher.

"He has got the lot. He's young and has got a lot to learn, he knows that. He needs to head the ball like Marcus Rashford can.

"I don't think we are going to see the best of Mason for a couple of years. But I can remember when I was 18 but I was nowhere near the level playing at he was."

United's thrashing of Steve Bruce's side moves them to within four points of Chelsea in the final Champions League qualification spot.

The Red Devils will hope to close the gap further when they travel to Burnley on Saturday, a day before Frank Lampard's men lock horns with Arsenal.

The Gunners will then provide the opposition to United on New Year's Day, before Solskjaer's side face Wolves in the third round of the FA Cup the following weekend.

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Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).