Paul Pogba’s brace bailed out United as the Red Devils stuttered to a fortuitous 2-1 win at OId Trafford.
Tuesday’s huge Champions League quarter-final challenge in Barcelona looms large, but attention first turned to securing a return to European football’s top table next season.
United moved within two points of the top four as a pair of Pogba penalties sealed victory at Old Trafford, but those in attendance will know how fortunate Solskjaer’s side were to have secured a point, never mind three.
Felipe Anderson saw an early opener wrongly ruled out for offside, but the Brazilian cancelled out Pogba’s contentiously-awarded penalty shortly after half-time as the Hammers capitalised on David De Gea’s poor throw.
The United goalkeeper made amends as Manuel Pellegrini’s men pushed for a winner, producing an outstanding one-handed save from Michail Antonio shortly after the West Ham substitute rattled the goalframe.
Yet the visitors returned to the capital empty-handed after Pogba smashed home his second spot-kick to keep up United’s top-four charge on an evening when the performance clearly alarmed Solskjaer.
“You want to win games, especially at this stage of the season, you know that points are so vital,” Solskjaer said.
“We know we didn’t perform and we know we should perform better, but we’ve got away with three points.
“I’ve been in that dressing room so many times on the other side and the other coach says, ‘We played well today but…’