Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals why he received an apology call from Sir Alex Ferguson

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Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson once rang him up and apologised to him.

The apology came after a controversial decision by Solskjaer to bench Cristiano Ronaldo during Manchester United’s draw with Everton.

Despite scoring five goals in six games since returning to the club, Ronaldo was named on the bench for the Everton game, a decision that drew criticism from Ferguson during a conversation with UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.

In the conversation, which was caught on camera, Ferguson was heard saying, “You should always start with your best players.”

Solskjaer later revealed that Ferguson had apologised to him for his comments, acknowledging the difficulties of managing a top-tier football club.

Narrating the incident, he told The Athletic:

‘That’s the one time Sir Alex has ever apologised to me. He was caught on a video saying, “You should always play your best players,” after Ronaldo started on the bench for one game.

‘He (Ferguson) rang me and apologised because he knows how difficult it is.’

Solskjaer took over as interim manager of Manchester United in December 2018, before being appointed as permanent manager in March 2019. He led the team to a second-place finish in the Premier League and reached the finals of the Europa League during his tenure.

He was sacked in November 2021 after a string of poor results, including a 4-1 defeat to Watford.

Despite his departure, Solskjaer remains a highly respected figure at Manchester United, and the apology from Ferguson only serves to highlight the immense respect and admiration that the two men share.

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