Having steered his side to four semi-finals, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not progressed past the last four in any cup competition as Manchester United coach, with his next chance to end that hoodoo against a team he has fond memories of facing.

What is more frustrating for fans desperate for the club to clinch their first piece of silverware since the 2017 Europa League under Jose Mourinho is United keep getting so close.

But clashes with AS Roma elicit fond European memories for Solskjaer, as the Italian side were his last opponent as a player in Europe for United. Having lost the first leg of the 2006-07 Champions League quarter-final 2-1 in Rome, United thrashed the Italians 7-1 in the return match, with Solskjaer coming on as a second-half substitute.

“I started the first leg, but can’t remember if I finished it because we played with 10 men and dug out a good result,” Solskjaer told a news conference on Wednesday.

“He (manager Alex Ferguson) was confident we could go through but that night at Old Trafford was magical.”