Man Utd boss Solskjaer: "We started the game badly."

A dejected Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Manchester derby defeat [Sky Sports Screen Shot]

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted that his Red Devils started the derby clash against Manchester City 'badly' as they were thrashed 2-0 on Saturday afternoon.

United put in a harpless performance against their neighbours as the Cityzens cruised past them at Old Trafford.

An Eric Bailly own-goal early in the first half and a Bernardo Silver close-range strike at the stroke of half-time handed City all three points, with United totally toothless on the day.

And, with the recent 5-0 thrashing by rivals Liverpool on home turf still very fresh in the memory of the United fans, the result and display against City mounts more pressure on the Norwegian coach.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the tie, Solskjaer said: "Very difficult to talk now because we started the game badly. Passive. When they get the first goal, it was always going to be difficult and it make it more difficult.

"David [De Gea] kept us in the game and then they scored a goal they always score. We know it’s going to happen and it shouldn’t happen.

"They played well. They don’t give you opportunities to win the ball off them. We were not at our level and standards need to be raised.

"The whole place went a little bit. You are disappointed with the first goal but we did not play well. We don’t trust ourselves with the ball and don’t pass as well as I know we can. Sometimes wrong solution, sometimes right solution with the wrong execution.

"You want to make it a derby. Coming into halftime at 1-0 down you might have a chance.

"We have to get back to what we started to look like at the end of last season and the start of this season. It has been a very difficult period. We need to be on the front foot more. I can't look at myself and say 'this is how I want Man United to play.'"

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