• ‘I think the contract is expired,’ Solskjær says of Norwegian club • Manchester United manager says first goal is key at PSG

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has indicated there is one fewer obstacle to him becoming Manchester United’s permanent manager by saying his contract with Molde has expired.

When the 46-year-old took over as United’s interim manager in December it was thought he remained in charge of the Norwegian club in an official capacity. Solskjær, talking to the Norwegian podcast Fotballklubben, suggested this is not the case. “I’m not sure how it works. I think the contract is expired and I’m now under contract with Manchester United. I think we need a new contract there [at Molde].”

It is understood that should he not be given the United job on a long-term basis then Solskjær and Molde would have to agree a fresh contract for his return.

On Friday Solskjaer said he has featured in a promo video for United supporters to buy season tickets for the 2019-20 season – another indication that the role as José Mourinho’s permanent successor could be his.

Solskjær said overturning Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 advantage in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday is not “mission impossible”. He pointed to how PSG held a 4-0 lead over Barcelona two years ago but were still knocked out.

On that occasion PSG lost 6-1 at the Camp Nou at the same stage as United take on the French club at the Parc des Princes.

United will have to do what 106 teams have failed to achieve in the competition: progress after losing the first leg 2-0 at home. Their task is made harder by being without 10 players who are injured, ill or suspended – Paul Pogba, who is banned after his sending-off in the first leg, is one notable absentee.

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Solskjær said: “It’s never mission impossible – it’s more difficult but we’ve got to get the first goal and anything can happen. If we get the first goal we’ll be believing even more and they might then doubt themselves.

“We can do it – obviously we need the first goal and we need to stay in the game for half an hour left and one goal in it anything can happen. But we need a good plan, it needs to be put in place and we need to perform on the night because they are a team full of quality.”

Solskjær was an unused substitute when United came back from trailing 2-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate at Juventus in their 1999 Champions League semi-final, en route to winning the trophy. “Everyone knows we have done it and results in Champions League in the last few years, I don’t want to call it strange, but last year Juventus lost 3-0 at home against Real Madrid and suddenly they were 3-0 up after 90 minutes against Madrid away.” A late penalty denied Juve in extra time on that occasion.

Solskjær continued: “The year before that, PSG against Barcelona. We remember those results – there are so many examples of teams who can change results like this. Also, as a club we’ve done it so many times, the players have been fantastic away from home, beaten Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, which has given us the belief we can do this as well.”

The 18-year-old Brandon Williams is in Solskjær’s squad. The manager said: “Brandon is a full-back who can play both sides, is quick – it’s the first time he travels with us, he didn’t expect to come, but that’s why you’re in the academy: we believe in you and suddenly you have to step up that’s why we have good coaches to make them ready.”

Solskjær confirmed Alexis Sánchez’s season could be over because of a knee injury suffered against Southampton. “It was a bad knee injury, so it’s four or six weeks.”