Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to be confirmed as Manchester United’s interim manager today – as Ed Woodward seeks to put ‘smiles back on faces’ at Old Trafford.
United’s executive vice chairman turned to the hero of 1999 after sacking Jose Mourinho on Tuesday morning.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant Mike Phelan is expected to be appointed as Solskjaer’s No2.
Man Utd appeared to announce the Norwegian’s arrival prematurely on Tuesday night via their official website, before quickly deleting a picture caption that read: “Solskjaer becomes our interim manager, 20 seasons after clinching the Treble with THAT goal at Camp Nou...”
Norway’s prime minister Erna Solberg also posted on social media: “Great day for Norwegian football. Good luck keeping control of the Red Devils.”
That post was also deleted.
But United wasted little time in trying to ensure Solskjaer would be in place for Saturday’s trip to Cardiff – the club he used to manage.
Solskjaer is the first part of Woodward’s three-pronged search for the men to bring Manchester United into the modern age.
At the very least, it would be an opportunity to push himself into the reckoning along with a stellar cast of candidates, which also include Massimiliano Allegri, Zinedine Zidane and Diego Simeone.
