Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Manchester United were right to sell Romelu Lukaku

Manchester United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Manchester United were right to sell Romelu Lukaku last summer.

The Belgium international was sold to Inter was £74m before the start of the season, with United opting against signing a replacement.

Anthony Martial has been deployed up front in recent weeks, with Marcus Rashford and Daniel James providing the support from out wide.

Those three players have scored a combined 22 goals in the Premier League this season, while teenage striker Mason Greenwood has chipped in with three.

"We always believed that Anthony and Marcus were going to score goals. Mason has filled a big void, he has chipped in with goals," Solskjaer said.

"I'm not worried about goals from the centre forwards. Mason has eight now, Marcus and Anthony have quite a few.

"Romelu is a good striker and he will always score goals but it was time for him to move on. We didn't find the right one [replacement] outside of our club - we had Mason.

"If we can keep these lot fit and keep on improving, one or two additions could create competition for places," he added on United's plans for the January transfer window. 

"That's what we have to deal with at this club. We haven't much (competition) because we've had injuries but now I have to think about leaving players out. It gives me more options.

"I am optimistic that we can keep the players fit and if the right ones (transfer targets) come about I do have the resources and the backing from the board."

United have moved to within four points of the top four after a run of just one defeat in their last nine Premier League fixtures.

Solskjaer's side travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on New Year's Day, before facing Wolves in the FA Cup this weekend.

READ MORE

7 of the biggest post-Christmas title collapses in English football

Ranked! The 10 best Premier League managers of the decade

Jose Mourinho will be the one who has to adapt to get the best out of this Tottenham team

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).