Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Zinedine Zidane makes feelings clear as final Man Utd decision on Solskjaer sack emerges

Zinedine Zidane Champions League presser during his time as Real Madrid coach

Manchester United have reportedly made a ‘final’ decision on the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer amid claims that Zinedine Zidane had made his feelings clear on the potential vacancy at Old Trafford.

The future of Solskjaer has been plunged firmly under the spotlight. A dire run of form has seen them record just one win in six games to leave the Red Devils lagging nine points behind in the title race.

To make matters worse, defeats to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City have cut deep and proven how far United have slipped behind the top teams in England and Europe. Indeed, it leaves many questioning if their four-year trophy wait will end this season.

With their Premier League hopes looking fragile, they have also been dumped out the League Cup. And but for Cristiano Ronaldo’s heroics, they would be in a major hole in the Champions League too.

Realistically, the Champions League – despite nagging doubts over their quality – or the FA Cup remains their most likely trophy avenues.

It all makes for grim reading for Solskjaer – and it gets worse….!

And it all comes against the backdrop of Ronaldo reportedly questioning Solskjaer and left worrying about how far the club has fallen.

Furthermore, a report on Saturday claimed that ‘United’s senior stars are now expecting the axe to fall on Solskjaer’.

That claimed their managerial hunt has been cut to just two names: Mauricio Pochettino and Brendan Rodgers.

Zidane, though, is another name that continues to lurk and on Sunday, he was again linked with the hotseat.

However, Fabrizio Romano insists the Red Devils have not entered talks with the former Real Madrid boss.

Likelihood of Man United getting Pochettino or Rodgers

Likelihood of Man United getting Pochettino or Rodgers

United have named Maurico Pochettino and Brendan Rodgers as the only replacements for Ole.

The trusted Italian journalist also claims Zidane has no desire to accept the job midway through the season. Furthermore, any job he takes would have to be taken during the summer so he can put his new charges through a pre-season.

Romano though states it would be an entirely different propostion were United to come calling in the summer. However, right now, he has ‘no interest’ in taking charge at Old Trafford.

Zidane, however, is also willing to consider the France job were that to become available in the summer.

United make Solskjaer sack decision

Indeed, as per the Daily Mirror, United are now committed to standing by Solskjaer until the end of the season.

They report that the Glazers’ stance is that any change now would further dent their top-four prospects.

Indeed, they fully intend to stay by the Norwegian until the summer when a review of his performance will be undertaken.

Until then though, it seems ‘business as usual’ as far as Solskjaer is concerned and inspite of their recent poor form.

That’s a stance Gary Neville also believes in as he told Sky Sports.

“It’s not a board that has experience of winning trophies. You look right through to recruitment, the CEO or decision-makers – none of them have had success in winning titles. There’s an element of not knowing what to do.

“They will be very unsure what to do. In the past that same group of people have sacked managers after eight months in David Moyes, they sacked a manager after winning the FA Cup [Van Gaal]. They sacked Mourinho after giving him a new contract and not backing him in the transfer market. I suspect a real yo-yo in their minds and they haven’t got the experience to deal with it.

“Ed Woodward leaves the club in a month apparently, who’s going to take over? They haven’t got the football experience and there’s not as good as Man City and Liverpool off the pitch either.

“Ole is a function of what’s happening in the club. And my view at the moment is a new manager could come in and end up the exact same that’s why I think United have to resurrect this season and then re-set at this point.”

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