Manchester United chief Ed Woodward ready to be ‘patient’ with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Ed Woodward has stressed that Manchester United will be patient as the club rebuilds under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United have taken just eight points from their opening six games, suffering their second defeat of the new Premier League season on Sunday.

Solskjaer’s difficult start to the season follows a sixth-place finish last term and a summer of unrest among sections of the support, despite £140m spent on players.

But Woodward believes United are on the right track, and told investors on a conference call that the club will show faith in Solskjaer’s management.

“We and our growing fan base demand success. Success means winning trophies. That target and that standard has never changed for Manchester United,” he said.

“The progress we have made on the business side underpins the continued investment in the football side.

“Much of the progress made around that investment, in the academy, the recruitment department and the training ground facilities, is behind the scenes and therefore isn’t immediately apparent to those on the outside looking in.

“For example, we’ve materially expanded our recruitment department in recent years, to increase its efficiency and productivity.

“Many of the senior staff in these roles have been at the club for over 10 years. Recruitment recommendations and decisions are worked on on a day-to-day basis, by this department and the manager and his team.

“These investments, together with the commitments we made to Ole and his coaching staff in March, have given us the building blocks for success.

“Whilst we are confident this investment will deliver results, it’s important that we are patient while Ole and his team build for the future. We will continue to focus on the long-term strategy and won’t be influenced by short-term distractions.”