Manchester United have publicly insisted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is safe at Old Trafford, despite the concerning nature of their 2-0 defeat to Burnley on Sunday. But the club reportedly have three managers on their radar should they be forced into axing the Norwegian.
Manchester United boss Solskjaer looked a broken man after the club were easily swatted aside by Burnley at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
The Red Devils were abject during the showdown against the Clarets, with goals from Chris Wood and Jay Rodriguez giving the visitors all three points.
What was arguably most-concerning, however, was how Old Trafford felt about it all.
United fans couldn’t hide their anger, raining down angry chants on Ed Woodward and the Glazers. The majority left the once-great arena before the final whistle had even sounded.
Solskjaer’s job is safe for now, though. United would prefer to stick, rather than twist, for the time being.
Yet the Daily Star say the Red Devils have Nagelsmann, Mauricio Pochettino and Gareth Southgate on a list of possible replacements.
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Ed Woodward gave serious thought to naming him as David Moyes’ replacement in 2014, when the Argentine was at Southampton.
They ended up going for Louis van Gaal instead and again missed out on Pochettino two years later, when he was happy at Tottenham.
Now a free agent, the former Spurs boss is available.
But Tottenham will still be entitled to a fee if United were to make him their fifth manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
Southgate seems to be an outside bet.
He did spectacularly with England at the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and also guided the Three Lions to the Nations League final last year.
But United appear endeared by his exploits and have him on their list of potential Solskjaer replacements as well.
Rio Ferdinand was one of the United legends who was delighted when Solskjaer was given the job in March last year.
But, speaking after the club’s 2-0 defeat to Burnley on Wednesday, Ferdinand couldn’t hide his dismay.
“Around £600million has been spent on this squad, and on what? I don’t see it out there. I don’t see that the money, the recruitment, what has been bought,” he said on BT Sport.
“There is nothing there that suggests to me that this is going to be something that is laying down the foundations for the future.
“I’m sitting up here and if I’m honest, I’m embarrassed. It’s embarrassing to be here. The way the team is. Not just the way the team perform but I don’t see what is coming next. You don’t see a pathway.”
