Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to become caretaker manager of the club after United’s official website accidentally leaked the news.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe United website appeared to confirm the appointment of Solskjaer this evening in a page that has been since deleted.
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg appeared to confirm that Solskjaer would take the reins at Old Trafford following the news that Jose Mourinho was sacked as United boss this morning.
In a tweet that’s also been deleted, she said: “Great day for Norwegian football. Good luck keeping control of the Red Devils, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer”
Solskjaer spent just 259 days as manager of Cardiff City, ironically Saturday’s opponents for United, in 2014.
He managed just 30 games for the Bluebirds but couldn’t prevent them from being relegated to the Championship before being sacked after a poor start to their second tier campaign.
Speculation over next Manchester United boss
Mourinho was sacked less than two days after a painful 3-1 defeat at Anfield against north west rivals Liverpool.
The poor result left the Reds 19 points behind Jurgen Klopp’s team after only 17 Premier League games this season.
A statement on the club’s official website said:
“Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect.
“The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.
“A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager.”
Speculation has already been rife for months about the next full time manager of United with Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino a perennially mentioned next permanent appointment at Old Trafford.
With the Argentine unlikely to be allowed to leave mid-season by Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy, and even then it would could United a king’s ransom to speak to Pochettino who has only just signed a new contract with Spurs.
Mourinho had been appointed by United in time for the start of the 2016/17 season and spent over £350m on 11 players but the pressure had been steadily building along with mediocre results ever since the Portuguese had landed the Europa League in a 2-0 win over Ajax after picking up the EFL Cup with a 3-2 win over Southampton.
The pressure had been building ever since with apparent public feuds with star players including Paul Pogba and what’s been seen as public clashes with United Chief Executive Ed Woodward after a failure to land a defender and a right sided winger in the summer.
The loss of form on the pitch, which has left them struggling to regain a Champions League spot with a fourth place finish, appears to have left the United management with little option but to take action.