Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leaves Mancunian melancholy in his wake as Manchester United nosedive

“Man United are back!”, proclaimed Rio Ferdinand as he rubbed his hands in the excitement of the aftermath of United’s 3-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain. When the full-time whistle blew at Old Trafford on Matchday 24, Rio Ferdinand was forced to change his stance. The scoreline read 2-0, the same margin they had effected at Turf Moor earlier this season, and the same scoreline that flashed on the red screen at Anfield last weekend.

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Ole’s at the wheel, but is he driving on the wrong side of the road?

“The downward spiral in seven years has been remarkable. Around £600 million has been spent on this squad, and on what? I don’t see it out there. I can’t defend this. What has been invested?” Rio Ferdinand was livid after Manchester United’s 0-2 defeat at home to Burnley.

The statistics narrate more of the same. Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge of Manchester United on a permanent basis, his side have lost more Premier League games (12) than they have won (11). In that same period, Liverpool have won over twice as many points as Man United despite playing three fewer games. Anti-Glazer and anti-Woodward chants erupted at Old Trafford after the final whistle, with many supporters heading out in droves even before the 90-minute mark.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer'exit could possibly stem the slide

Much has been made of the Glazers’ handling of the club. Fans have lamented the fact that the Glazers have paid too much attention to the revenue being brought in by the club, and too little attention to the actual performance of the club on the field. Ed Woodward’s failed pursuit of Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes, in conjunction with the baffling contract handed to Alexis Sanchez, had stimulated a rot in Manchester United’s administration. However, as Gary Neville pointed out last weekend, getting rid of that systemic rot is easier said than done. The Glazers are reluctant to sell the club to any potential suitors while Ed Woodward is the man with arguably the highest level of job safety at the club.

Which brings us to the manager. A majority of Manchester United fans are unhappy with the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’. Despite spending heavily in the summer, Man United have picked up just 34 points from 24 games so far. They are deceivingly fifth in the Premier League. That tally of 34 points is the lowest total a side has racked up to sit fifth in the history of the Premier League. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has often had an air of learning on the job since taking over as permanent manager. The arrivals of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were aimed at solidifying the defence. Wan-Bissaka has been impressive. Maguire, on the other hand, has looked shaky at the back with the £80m fee hanging heavy. Could there be a case to be made for Mauricio Pochettino in this case?

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Mauricio Pochettino waiting in the wings; are Manchester United running out of time?

The fact that Manchester United have pursued the former Tottenham boss in the past is not quite a well-kept secret. When Tottenham got rid of Pochettino earlier this season, Manchester United fans called for the Argentine to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Solskjaer, after all, had little experience in management during his two unimpressive spells with Cardiff and Molde. Pochettino, on the other hand, has considerable experience dealing with tight purse strings, courtesy of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy. He also has a proven track record of moulding youngsters into top players (read: Dele Alli, Harry Kane). With the likes of Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood coming through the ranks and Marcus Rashford yet to blossom into a 25-goals-a-season striker, Mauricio Pochettino’s proven track record of developing these players is something Manchester United are in dire need of.

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The run to the Champions League final last season was among his less-heralded achievements, despite Tottenham failing to strengthen that summer. With his hands tied, Pochettino orchestrated a run to the Champions League final with contract rebels Danny Rose, Toby Alderwiereld, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen in tow. With Mauricio Pochettino waiting in the wings, can a club of the stature of Manchester United afford Ole Gunnar Solskjaer one more season of learning on the job? Or do they rope in a world-class manager with extensive Premier League experience? The 0-2 defeat at Burnley would have surely overturned that hourglass.

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