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’99 treble hero Ole hopes for more heroics against Liverpool

United boss invokes his famous late winner as team faces Reds for second time in 10 days

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER says he will rotate his squad when Manchester United resume battle with Liverpool in the FA Cup tomorrow, and hopes history repeats itself having been a hero in the same fixture in 1999.

Having only last weekend met for the first time in a year, the sides’ 0-0 Premier League stalemate at Anfield will be swiftly followed by a fourth-round clash at Old Trafford.

Liverpool head into the tie wounded by Thursday’s shock 1-0 home defeat to Burnley, whereas United are sat at the top of the table thanks to their 2-1 victory at Fulham on Wednesday.

Solskjaer plans to lean on his squad players in the cup, which provides the 1999 treble hero with another shot at his first trophy in the dugout.

“We’ll rotate, that’s for sure,” Solskjaer said. “We’ll put a decent team together of course, a team I feel can win the game.

“Of course you want to get your hands on that first trophy, but it’s always the league position that’s the measure of how far you have come.

“Anyone can have an easy cup run, I’m not one of those. I never get an easy cup run!”

United have lost four semi-finals in the last year and Solskjaer is still looking to get the better of Klopp at the fifth time of asking.

The Norwegian enjoyed his fair share of success against Liverpool in his playing days, including netting the winner against them in their FA Cup fourth-round tie on January 24 1999.

That triumph helped to build momentum in what proved a remarkable campaign, and Solskjaer hopes that tomorrow can be a catalyst for success as the sides meet at the same stage — 22 years to the day later.

“We know in that season we were close to going out against Liverpool,” he said. “Peter Schmeichel saved a penalty from Dennis Bergkamp in the semi-final in injury time.

“Those moments, I think they gave us the mental advantage, especially in the semi-final.

“But against Liverpool as well in that fourth round, when you get that boost of turning 1-0 down to a 2-1 win against a big team — it’s massive.

“The FA Cup is a run we’ve got to enjoy as long as it lasts.”

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