"If my players think about other things than football, that's a positive thing and I think we've seen that with some of the players before that they do care about," says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after two of his Man Utd players show support on pitch for Palestinian people
Wednesday 19 May 2021 10:24, UK
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the views of players should be respected after Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo held up a Palestine flag following Tuesday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Fulham.
The ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas Islamists who rule Gaza are the most serious in years and there have been no firm signs of any imminent ceasefire despite international calls to end more than a week of fighting.
Leicester City's Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana had also held up a Palestine flag after the FA Cup final on Saturday and Solskjaer says his players have a right to their own views.
"I think we need to have players from different backgrounds, different cultures, different countries, and I think we need to respect their views if they differ from someone else's," Solskjaer told reporters.
"If my players think about other things than football, that's a positive thing and I think we've seen that with some of the players before that they do care about.
"Say Marcus Rashford, for example, the difference he's made. We respect their right to have a different view."
Choudhury and Fofana will not face any disciplinary action after they celebrated with a Palestinian flag after Leicester's FA Cup final success.
The pair held either end of the flag during a lap of honour and Choudhury had it draped over his shoulders when he collected his medal following the 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley.
However, the Football Association does not investigate the general use of flags on the field of play.
