The Red Devils boss kept his starting XI on the field for 90 minutes against the Hammers, with a narrow 1-0 victory secured on home soil
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recorded a Manchester United first in the Premier League since February 2012 during the Red Devils’ 1-0 win over West Ham, with no substitutions made across 90 minutes.
A narrow victory at Old Trafford was secured by the 11 players who started a hard-fought encounter.
Solskjaer had plenty of options at his disposal but, with his side edging their way to another clean sheet, saw no need to tinker with his plans.
What has been said?
Explaining his decision to keep faith with a starting XI, the United boss told the club’s official website: “I didn’t feel the need to take them off because I felt every single one did a job defensively.
“We have had four clean sheets now in the league, straight up and that is always a foundation.
“You have to defend well to keep clean sheets in the Premier League. We have also scored more goals this season than last season, so we are improving as an attacking team as well.
“But the attitude of everyone doing the work that Kieran [McKenna] and Michael [Carrick] are doing, the work on the training ground and in the meeting rooms is absolutely spot on.
“The details the coaches give the players, they listen, they look. We want to attack teams and attack them by defending really high, we want to be on the front foot defensively.
“It takes a lot of energy to do that but modern football requires that.”
Who were the last team that United made no changes against?
It is over nine years since the Red Devils last went a full 90 minutes in the English top flight without making any in-game changes.
The last time that happened was in a meeting with Liverpool. That contest also took place at Old Trafford and ended with United taking three points – with a 2-1 victory enjoyed over their arch-rivals.
Who was on the bench for United against West Ham?
Solskjaer’s side found the going tough at times against the Hammers, with David Moyes setting his team up to sit deep and frustrate the hosts.
An own goal from Craig Dawson eventually settled the contest, with the West Ham defender putting through his own net in the 53rd minute.
United could have freshened things up from there, especially as they collected four yellow cards on the night, but opted against taking that approach, and that kept nine players stuck on the bench, with Amad Diallo still waiting on a Premier League debut.
Shola Shoretire has made his top-flight bow this season, but the 17-year-old was another who remained unused on Sunday.
The rest of United’s replacements were Axel Tuanzebe, Nemanja Matic, Nathan Bishop, Brandon Williams, Eric Bailly, Alex Telles and Lee Grant.