It’s sad to think about but Solskjaer is about to embark on make or break week at Man Utd that could end with sacking

OLE SOLSKJAER might not be the bookies favourite for the sack at the moment, but give it a week, and three Premier League games, and he might well be.

Everton’s Marco Silva and West Ham’s Manuel Pellegrini are currently ahead of him in the “sack race”.

Solskjaer is under pressure at Manchester UnitedCredit: AP:Associated Press

Jose Mourinho returns to Old Trafford with Spurs on Wednesday, December 4Credit: AFC Bournemouth – Getty

But Solskjaer is about to embark on a make or break week that could finally signal the end of his time as manager of Manchester United.

It’s sad to discuss the managerial future of an Old Trafford legend but the facts are that United sit in ninth place in the Premier League, in between two sides that have recently sacked their manager because of poor form.

Not only that, but one of them is Mauricio Pochettino who 12 months ago would have cost Ed Woodward upwards of £40million to get OUT of Tottenham Hotspur.

So, this morning, shortly after Unai Emery was put out of his misery as Arsenal manager, what was going through Woodward’s head?

The word from the club is that Solskjaer is still the “right man” and part of the “longer term vision”. The trouble is that the Premier League table doesn’t lie, and his side look like they’ll need a small miracle already to qualify for the Europa League, never mind the Champions League.

A plan is all well and good but when the man leading it isn’t up to the task, then what happens? Spurs and Arsenal acted and acted swiftly, and if Solskjaer’s team perform many more times like they did for the opening hour against Sheffield United last weekend, then the upcoming opposition will be less forgiving.

MOURINHO REUNION

First up on Sunday it’s Aston Villa, before Jose Mourinho’s return with Tottenham on Wednesday, and a trip across town to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City next weekend.

Anything less than a win at home to Villa will cause alarm bells to ring even louder in the Old Trafford boardroom because they’ll be aware that already United’s tally of 17 points is their lowest after 13 matches since the 1988-89 season.

For Villa, something has to give, and their unfortunate record of having only won one of their last 24 Premier League away matches, drawing three and losing 20, must come to an end sooner, rather than later.

The time for debating and analysing the “what” and “when” will soon come to an end. The managerial activity elsewhere has sent ripples across the Premier League and whether the most loyal United fan likes it or not, this week could well tell us how long one of their finest sons has left in the tank.

United have performed well against the “bigger” teams already this campaign and were unlucky not to walk away with all three points against Liverpool.

Back-to-back games against a rejuvenated Spurs and then City, could prove a step too far.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk