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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Josh O'Brien

Gary Lineker points out Man Utd luxury that's no longer present at club

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has now taken charge of more games than any of the four other managers to sit in the Manchester United hot-seat since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013

The Norwegian has overseen 147 games in charge of the Red Devils, three more than his nearest rival and predecessor Jose Mourinho, but Gary Lineker has explained how no one who takes charge of a club of United's stature is afforded too much time nowadays.

The club has gone through a number of bosses since Ferguson called time on his 26-year time at the helm eight years ago, with mixed results to say the least.

Gary Lineker has explained how United came close to sacking Sir Alex Ferguson in the early nineties (BT Sport)

The post-Fergie era began in dismal fashion, with fellow Scot David Moyes sacked just nine months into his tenure. He was briefly replaced by club legend Ryan Giggs on an interim basis, before Louis van Gaal enjoyed just over two years in charge.

Mourinho was handed the keys to Old Trafford in May 2016, but was sacked just over two years later and replaced by another club icon in Solksjaer.

The constant merry-go round of managers has done little to help United's chances of success, this season's second-placed finish (at best) will mean it would have been nine years since their last Premier League title before they could potentially lift the trophy once again.

Ferguson left the club in a managerial capacity in 2013, while Solskjaer has been in charge since 2018 (Getty Images)

Speaking on the Match of the Day Top 10 podcast, Gary Lineker claimed that Ferguson could have met a similar fate to the likes of Moyes, van Gaal and Mourinho if it weren't for some late FA Cup magic.

Lineker explained: "Ferguson would not have kept his job for that long if they hadn't won this cup final (the 1990 victory over Crystal Palace )- his first few seasons he didn't finish very well, I think about 11th.

"It's amazing because a United manager wouldn't have a chance of surviving now.

"In the third round everyone was saying Ferguson would lose his job but Mark Robins came on and scored the winner and basically saved his job - history would've been very different

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