Who is favourite to replace Solskjaer at Man Utd?
Martin Macdonald
- 19 Oct 2021 18:56 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted that he's under pressure after a poor start to the new season.
The Old Trafford club have only won five of their opening 11 games in all competitions and were recently beaten 4-2 by Leicester City in the Premier League.
As such, the Norwegian manager knows his star-studded side must do better in the English top flught and the Champions League.
"We have signed players which have raised expectations but we are in same boat as other top teams," said Solskjaer.
"Pressure on me of course but we have been through this before. I am in dialogue with club all the time, it is an open and honest discussion.
"Every team will go through a patchy period, we are in one now, we know that.
"The coaching staff we have got is absolutely amazing, the attention to detail, training sessions, preparations. I don't think I could ask for better.
"They are Manchester United people with intention of helping the team grow."
TRENDING
United are now four points off top spot in the Premier League, while they have also been uninspiring in the Champions League, being defeated by Young Boys and having to rely on a late, undeserved Cristiano Ronaldo winner to beat Villarreal.
Up next is Atalanta - a side that will thrive on mistakes and uncertainty, which the Man Utd defence was full of against Leicester.
With Raphael Varane out injured, Harry Maguire was fast-tracked back into the starting XI when clearly not fit, while Nemanja Matic was, again, as immobile as they come in midfield.
Defeat at Leicester.#MUFC | #LEIMUN
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 16, 2021
Man Utd's next three Premier League fixtures are against Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City, and Solskjaer has started this awful run of games on a loss against Leicester, piling on the pressure even more.
Who could replace Solskjaer?
Solskjaer has been continually backed by the Man Utd hierarchy, but poor performances and results in the next four matches in all competitions will undoubtedly result in his dismissal.
Who is waiting to take over, though?
| Manager | Odds |
| Brendan Rodgers | 7/2 |
| Mauricio Pochettino | 5/1 |
| Antonio Conte | 6/1 |
| Zinedine Zidane | 12/1 |
| Julian Nagelsmann | 16/1 |
| Julien Lopetegui | 20/1 |
| Thomas Frank | 20/1 |
| Gareth Southgate | 20/1 |
| Rafa Benitez | 25/1 |
| Roberto Mancini | 25/1 |
Current Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers remains the bookies' favourite to replace Solskjaer, according to OddsChecker.
After that his former Tottenham Hotspur and current Paris Saint Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino at 5/1,
Perhaps a more realistic candidate can be found in the form of Antonio Conte, however he remains at relatively long odds in the form of 6/1.
Zinedine Zidane may seem like a fantastical appointment currently but could be tempted, while Gareth Southgate seems very unlikely.
In the summer, Bayern Munich paid €25 million to steal Julian Nagelsmann from RB Leipzig, yet the talented German coach remains on the list of candidates for the Man Utd job despite signing a long-term deal at the Allianz Arena.
Rafa Benitez, who risked the wrath of Liverpool fans everywhere by taking the Everton job this summer, is somehow only 25/1 even though a move to Man Utd would be seen in a much harsher light by the Anfield faithful.
Read more about: Premier League, Man Utd
