Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: 'We can't feel sorry for ourselves'.

RB Leipzig 3-2 Man Utd.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the Red Bull Arena. [Getty]

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said that the Red Devils 'cannot feel sorry' for themselves after they were knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Premier League giants needed to avoid a defeat in their final group game against RB Leipzig to secure a spot in the last 16 of Europe’s elite competition, but they failed to do so as the Bundesliga club thrashed them 3-2 at the Red Bull Arena.

It was a very disappointing evening for United and they were three goals down - thanks to strikes from Angelino (2), Amadou Haidara (13), and Justin Kluivert (69) - before they responded through Bruno Fernandes.

Kanoté’s own-goal felt like they were heading for a comeback as they have done in recent games in the league, but the hosts were resilient, making sure United didn’t find the net for the third time.

Solskjaer’s Reds had more possession, more shots, and registered more shots on target, however, Leipzig were more clinical on the day and finished in the second spot in Group H.

Speaking to BT Sport following the defeat, Solskjaer asserted: “We started too late. Great spirit and comeback again. It's different to the Premier League, you can't give a team a three-goal lead and expect to come back. We were unlucky towards the end and you almost thought it was in at the last minute there.

“Of course you can't say we were good enough, we weren't. In a difficult group of course, the big defeat for us was the one away to Istanbul - that's where we lost the points we should have had. 

“Today we were close but we knew we had to defend crosses and balls into the box and we just couldn't clear them.

“As a footballer, you can't feel sorry for yourself. You feel sorry for a few minutes tonight and then we focus on a massive game on Saturday.”

When asked whether Paul Pogba is happy at Old Trafford, following abysmal comments made by his agents, the Norwegian replied: “You have to ask Paul if he is happy or not, I won't speak for him. He's working hard in training and he needs to focus on his performances. Now is not the time to discuss transfers.”

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