Following their defeat to Watford, the Manchester United board held an emergency meeting about the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. According to CBS Soccer Insider Fabrizio Romano, that discussion lasted about five hours before determining that it was time to move in a different direction. All that's left now, he reports, is figuring out the financials and getting official sign off on the deal.
This doesn't come as much of a surprise. Since their 3-0 victory over Tottenham, Manchester United went to lose to City, and Watford while scoring one goal and conceding six. Prior to defeating Tottenham, United was winless in their previous three games letting in six goals and scoring three. Considering that with the addition of Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Raphel Varane, this United side were supposed to be title contenders they haven't come close to meeting expectations now that they're five points off the pace of making top four.
The question will come on if the board should have split prior to the international break, with all three teams that recently appointed new managers during that time picking up points this weekend. Eddie Howe, Steven Gerrard, and Dean Smith all at least drew their matches after having time to work with their teams while the new United manager will come in needing to turn things around while the matches are coming thick and fast.
With Antonio Conte off the market, Brendan Rodgers might now be the favorite for the job but if he says no, or the board chooses to look elsewhere, they have a few directions to move in. The team's admiration for Erik ten Hag has been public and until he says he isn't interested Zinedine Zidane will be linked as well. Outside shots such as Graham Potter will also come up in discussion but he isn't a name who would be able to implement a system mid-season.
With how much is on the line, this isn't a hire that the board can bungle which with their recent track record is quite concerning. Life with Solskjaer would've likely been better if the board got a defensive midfielder instead of more attackers but as we're seeing it's their way or the highway.