Update on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Man Utd future after Leicester City defeat
By Max Cooper
Manchester United are not planning on sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, despite the Red Devils' recent poor run of form, which culminated in the disappointing 4-2 defeat to Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.
The pressure is building on the Norwegian coach, and supporters' frustrations reached new heights upon shipping four at the King Power Stadium, subsequently ending their record-breaking 29-game unbeaten streak away from home.
But Solskjaer's job remains safe for the time being, as The Athletic reports that the club's owners have no intention of sacking their manager ahead of a tricky run of fixtures.
Man Utd face Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all before the end of November, meaning a bad set of results in those clashes could see the Premier League giants lose further ground in the title race.
They currently sit fifth in the league table, one point outside of the top four, and in danger of falling even further behind current leaders Chelsea, who opened up a five-point gap over the Red Devils with a 1-0 win over Brentford.
So, the next six weeks could be a decisive period in the season for Man Utd. However, despite the question marks that linger around the capabilities of their current boss - who has yet to lift silverware as a coach at Old Trafford - the club is maintaining their faith in the 48-year-old.
Solskjaer is still regarded extremely highly by the Man Utd hierarchy, and his work in turning the club around in recent years has not gone forgotten. He took over as caretaker manager in December 2018, and a superb run of form saw him appointed permanently in March 2019.
The team has failed to win any trophies since he was named Man Utd boss, reaching the final of the Europa League in 2021, but falling to a penalty shootout defeat against Villarreal.
Heavy investment over the summer, combined with a brilliant opening day victory against Leeds United, saw expectations grow, but performances ever since have flattered to deceive, leading to this major downturn in results.
Solskjaer will be given time to turn it around, but he'll have to do it against the toughest opponents in the Premier League.