Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has called out the “shambolic” decision making at Manchester United.
United announced on Sunday that the club had parted ways with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, after a run of five defeats in their last seven league games.
As part of the club statement, Liverpool ’s bitter rivals revealed their plan for Michael Carrick to take charge of upcoming games, while the search for an interim manager until the end of the season continues.
Carragher described the idea as “breathtaking incompetence” in his Daily Telegraph column and criticised United for having no contingency plan in place for Solskjaer’s departure.
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“There is only one word to sum up Manchester United’s handling of the final months of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign: shambolic,” wrote the former Liverpool defender.
“Anyone writing a manual about how to go about replacing a football manager should find the current events at Old Trafford useful.
“Simply observe how they are going about it and do the opposite.
“We are still less than a third of the way through a Premier League campaign and Manchester United are indicating they want to see it through with two caretakers? That is astonishing.”
Solskjaer himself was first appointed on an interim basis in December 2018, before being offered the job on a permanent basis, three months later.
Ex-Reds centre-back Carragher highlighted that United have spent £312m under Solskjaer - the most in the Premier League - and missed out on elite coaches such as Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte, despite not winning a trophy.
The 43-year-old compared the situation with Sir Kenny Dalglish’s second spell in charge of Liverpool. Dalglish had been successful on an interim basis in the 2010/11 season, but was replaced at the end of the following campaign.
In contrast, United’s decision to stick with Solskjaer, even after the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool in October, was an example of the club “putting sentiment ahead of common sense”, according to Carragher.
“It was obvious after United were hammered by Liverpool in October that the current position was unsustainable,” he said.
“Soundings to possible replacements ought to have been made then, the international break presenting an opportunity to reset.
"It is embarrassing that United could not see that, while Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Norwich City could.”
Carragher continued: “Such are the finances at United, the resources will always be available for the right man to succeed. Things can always get better sooner rather than later.
“That makes the fact United are prepared to go another six months without their long-term solution more extraordinary.
“United are one of the biggest clubs in the world. It is about time they started acting like it.”
