Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under a world of pressure. Having been thumped 5-0 by fierce rivals Liverpool last weekend, the Red Devils’ next game against Spurs on Saturday afternoon, has now been turned up a notch.
All eyes will be on Solskjaer, who has little choice but to tinker with his squad having witnessed them majorly underperform in recent weeks.
Despite the United board opting against relieving Solskjaer of his duties earlier this week, the Norwegian now faces an uphill battle to convince his employers he is still the right man for the job.
However, despite the massive challenge that now awaits Solskjaer, CaughtOffside understands that the Red Devils’ hierarchy is prepared to give their manager three more games in which to turn the side’s fortunes around.
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United’s next three fixtures include Saturday’s game against Spurs, a mid-week Champions League group game against Italian side Atalanta and a domestic Manchester derby clash against noisy neighbours and Premier League high-flyers, Manchester City.
A senior source inside the Red Devils has confirmed that should Solskjaer and his playing squad continue their poor form over the next week, the club will have little choice but to sack the 1999 treble winner.
Although key figures, including Sir Alex Ferguson, have been vocal in their support for Solskjaer, there is a quiet realisation behind the scenes that failure to perform in their next three fixtures will inevitably result in a change of manager.
When asked for their thoughts on Solskjaer’s situation, our source said: “Time will tell, but he’s got three games.”
Should Solskjaer be shown the Old Trafford exit door, several replacements have been linked, including former Inter Milan and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte – however, as we exclusively reported earlier this week, United’s decision-makers have major concerns over the Italian manager and are unlikely to appoint him.