Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on refereeing errors, Phil Jones & Amad Diallo

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken to the media ahead of this week’s Premier League clash with Southampton at Old Trafford, discussing among other things how the club was cost the recent game against Sheffield United by mistakes the referee has owned up to, changes to the Premier League squad and the latest on teenage starlet Amad Diallo.

Referee errors confirmed against Sheffield United

Solskjaer has revealed the club has had word that the referee from last week’s shock home defeat to Sheffield United admitted making two incorrect decisions that helped cost his team the game.

The Blades’ opening goal from Kean Bryan was allowed to stand even though Billy Sharp appeared to push United goalkeeper David de Gea as the ball came over.

To rub salt into that wound a few minutes later, a would be Anthony Martial equaliser was harshly ruled out after Harry Maguire was unfairly adjudged to have fouled visiting goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in what seems like a fair challenge.

VAR didn’t intervene at the time, but referee Peter Bankes has concluded in hindsight that both calls were incorrect and should have been reversed.

“I've got the delegates' report from the ref and the two decisions were wrong. They've admitted their goal should have been disallowed and our goal should have stood,” Solskjaer said.

A victory in that game would have put United two points clear at the top as things currently stand, assuming the 0-0 with Arsenal would still have followed the same.

But it is too convenient an excuse to solely lean on. United may have initially been on the back foot because of bad officiating, yet they did get back on level terms, couldn’t find a breakthrough to go ahead and still proceeded to concede again courtesy of some utterly atrocious defending.

Phil Jones added to Premier League squad

United are sending home-grown Teden Mengi on loan to Wayne Rooney’s Derby County for the rest of the season and will draft Phil Jones back into the Premier League squad for extra cover.

Mengi didn’t have to be named in the squad list because of his age so it isn’t a like for like swap in that sense, but the teenager was training with the first-team and so will be a body lost all the same.

Jones was left out of the 25-man selection at the start of the season and so obviously hasn’t played. In the meantime, the 28-year-old has been recovering from another injury.

“Phil has been recovering from an injury, a knee operation he had, and he's working hard to be available again. So, he will be included on the [Premier League] list. Hopefully he’ll get his fitness back sooner, rather than later, and be able to play,” Solskjaer explained.

Amad Diallo will still be given time

There has been plenty of talk about new signing Amad Diallo following his high profile transfer from Atalanta. The teenager even added fuel to the clamour for a first-team debut when he made his bow for the Under-23 side over the weekend against Liverpool and scored twice.

The second of those goals was even an ice cold Panenka penalty.

Solskjaer had said more than once before that game that Diallo isn’t far away from featuring with the first-team but will still be given some time first. That stance hasn’t changed.

“We’re going to give him the time to settle in, show his skills and adapt. "He can open up defences, and I don’t think it will be too long until he’s involved in a matchday squad,” Solskjaer said.

The Norwegian also reminded that Joe Hugill actually made more of an impact in the game, scoring four goals of his own in the 6-3 victory: “If we go from that game, I'd pick Joe Hugill: scored four goals, should have taken the penalty and got five instead of giving it to Amad!”

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