OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER hopes Europa League glory will kick-start another trophy-laden era at Manchester United.
The Red Devils take on Villarreal in Gdansk aiming to end their four-year wait for silverware.
But boss Solskjaer reckons lifting the trophy can open the floodgates for more next season and beyond.
He said: “These are big nights for us. We have five wins in Europe and it might be the stepping stone for something better to come, a bright future.
“This is a young team and it’s a team we have rebuilt over the last couple of years, so hopefully this is the start of something more.
“When players get the taste of success and win trophies, it can go two ways – ‘We’ve done it now and we can relax’ or it just gives you more of that feeling.
“You want more, you want it all the time, you want the feeling again with your team-mates, with your club.
“I trust these players. I’ve seen something grow inside them – more and more confident, more robust, resilient – and as a group, I’m confident we’re ready for this now.”
Jose Mourinho was in charge when United won the Europa League in 2017 – adding to their three European Cups and one Cup Winners’ Cup.
Of the 18 players in the matchday squad that night in Sweden, only Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata and David De Gea could feature in Poland.
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Anthony Martial and Phil Jones are injured and the rest have left the club.
But despite the long wait for another trophy, Solskjaer knows his side are favourites to do the business in Poland after four semi-final exits under the Norwegian.
He added: “Every player who goes into a final has the expectation and pressure to win.
“We prepare to win, we plan to win, we expect to win, but I’m sure Unai Emery feels the same with his Villarreal team and his players.
“When players sign for Manchester United they do so to win trophies.
“They accept the challenge of being the best because this is the best club in the world, so that is the pressure of Manchester United.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
