However, The Norwegian did replace Phil Jones at half-time after a poor first half performance from the defender.
'I was angry, disappointed, you had to wake them up,' Solskjaer said.
'You had to do something about it. I could have changed every player at half-time, apart from the keeper.
'It wasn't about tactics. It was about the desire first half, getting first to the ball, tackling, winning challenges. Sometimes tactics go out of the window.
'You have to earn the right to win a game and we didn't have any right to win the game after 70 minutes. We were nowhere near a Man United team.'
Asked how worried he was about a perceived lack of hunger within his team, Solskjaer added: 'It's not about a lack of desire (per se)… maybe it is that confidence in themselves.
'I don't doubt them wanting to win but sometimes young players don't know how to win challenges like this. We've learned a lot today– I'm sure they have. Release the fear, play with belief and confidence.'
Solskjaer's substitution of Jesse Lingard for Jones at the break wasan admittance of his mistake in midfield.
United were a body light, with Andreas Pereira and Fred unable to cope with the Blades in midfield.
'He's played there for England. Andreas and Fred have never played together.'
'Today was a very poor performance. To be honest, I was thinking back to Everton. That team gave up but this didn't. It was a great answer from the boys. We did play badly in the first half.
'We didn't stick to what we had planned. It looked like fear. You don't expect them to give up but last year we did.
'Now it's positive. Even though the big part of this game is negative and you're disappointed, to have the character to get it around is great. You're disappointed not to hold on (after Oli McBurnie's late equaliser).'
