Manchester United progress clear for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Having reached the semi-final stage of four successive competitions, the next few days could extinguish the Red Devils’ hopes of ending their four-year wait for a trophy.

United travel to Leicester in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, having taken on Milan tonight in a Europa League round-of-16 encounter which is poised at 1-1 ahead of the return fixture at San Siro.

The competition provided the Old Trafford giants’ last silverware in 2016/17, when Jose Mourinho added to that season’s EFL Cup triumph after Louis Van Gaal had masterminded FA Cup success the previous campaign.

They are United’s only major trophies since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and, while determined to win his first silverware in charge, Solskjaer believes there is more to progress than cup success.

“When you see the culture and what’s happening every day, I feel a lot of improvement in the everyday routine and everyday work we do,” said Solskjaer, whose side are second in the Premier League. “The boys have taken on board what we want and it’s for others to assess how much of an improvement (has been made).

“We’re 12 points ahead of what we were at the same time in the league last season. Of course we’re all aiming to win trophies.

“But, as we’ve said, sometimes a trophy can hide the other fact what’s happening at the club.

“In the league position you see if you’re progressing, really, and sometimes in the cup tournaments you might be lucky, you might be unlucky.

“Draws, games decided on different factors.

“But of course we’re aiming to win because that’s why you play football. You’re always aiming to win trophies.”

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