Italy legend Marcello Lippi is hopeful Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will turn Manchester United's fortunes around.
The Reds have made a poor start to the Premier League season, winning just one of their opening four games.
Defeat at home to Crystal Palace was followed by a disappointing draw away to Southampton which ensured United entered the first international break seven points behind league leaders Liverpool.
Lippi, who managed Juventus twice and led Italy to the World Cup trophy in 2006, hopes that Solskjaer will turn out to be a successful manager.
He told Mail Online: "Solskjaer was very good as a player and I hope he will do very well as a coach: he deserves it."
The 71-year-old Lippi remains in management as coach of the Chinese national team and was full of praise for other former Manchester United players too.
One man he desperately wanted to sign was talismanic midfielder Roy Keane. The Irishman fired United to victory against Juventus in the Champions League semi-final in 1999, just months after Lippi had departed the club.
Lippi opened up on Juve's unsuccessful negotiations to sign him.
"I loved Keane. He was very close to moving to Juventus but then failed to negotiate," he added. "I also loved [Paul] Scholes: he would have liked it anywhere and always played."
The veteran boss has lavished praise on Scholes in the past, describing him as one of the most important players during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign.
He told the BBC in 2008: "Scholes is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot.
"He is an all-round midfielder who possesses character and quality in abundance. In my opinion, he's been one of the most important players for United under Sir Alex."
