MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted the "culture" at the club is still not right and re-stated his intention to build a squad at Old Trafford that put the team before themselves.

Solskjaer revealed Jesse Lingard played through an illness to start against Manchester City on Tuesday while Harry Maguire made himself available despite carrying a hip problem.

The United manager praised the pair for being willing to play through the pain barrier but said the job of filling his squad with similar characters was not over.

"That's the culture that we're working towards, that we have players who always put the team in front of themselves," said Solskjaer. "For me I'm in a process of building a squad with the right culture and I'm still not finished with that."

Solskjaer jettisoned Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez in the summer despite leaving himself short of options heading into the new season.

Former United defender Gary Neville has suggested the Norwegian needs to "protect himself" by spending the club's money in January rather than risk the sack because of poor results. Solskjaer, however, insists he isn't interested in simply keeping his job.

"I am not going to protect myself," said Solskjaer "I am going to do what is best for the club, what I think and we feel is right for the club and I will never put myself before the club. I could never ever do that, that's not me. I am working for Man United, not for me.

"I have those conversations with Ed [Woodward] all the time and we are looking at how we are going to look in one month's time, five months' time, in the longer period, he knows my feelings and we know our feelings. I am very happy with these players.

"You wouldn't put yourself in a situation where you've done something that you regret in 18 months' time. We've got to do due diligence -- character of players, quality of players that are the right fit into this squad."

While trying to sign new players, Solskjaer is also attempting to keep the players he has. He is keen for Ashley Young to stay at Old Trafford despite the 34-year-old entering talks with Inter Milan about a move to Serie A, either this month or at the end of the season. The United boss also says he has no concerns about Lingard's future after speculation he signed up with agent Mino Raiola.

"Jesse is working for Man United," said Solskjaer. "Whoever he speaks to and gets his advice from is none of my business and Jesse knows what we expect from him.

"I have a great open relationship with Jesse, we talk freely so I don't speak to the agents of many players."