Manchester United players expect Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be sacked in the wake of the humiliating defeat by Watford.
Some players and staff were in tears after United’s 4-1 humbling at Vicarage Road and, although United are yet to inform Solskjaer of his dismissal, many United players believe the Watford match may have been his last as the club’s manager.
Watford's thrashing of United means they have now taken four points from their last 21 in the Premier League and are 12 points behind leaders Chelsea.
United, seventh in the table, have conceded 15 goals in their last four defeats to Watford, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Leicester but, as previously reported by the MEN, the club's owners, the Glazer family, were reluctant to sack Solskjaer given the lack of an available replacement.
The outgoing executive vice chairman, Ed Woodward, and his expected successor, Richard Arnold, were not at Vicarage Road, it is understood.
Solskjaer apologised to the United supporters at full-time at Vicarage Road but many loudly and specifically booed the Norwegian.
"I always have belief in myself," Solskjaer stressed to reporters after the game. "Of course, at the minute it's a difficult time for us. I can see, I can trust every single one out there to give their all. The staff are fantastic. But the results are difficult. I believe we can turn this around."
The MEN reported earlier in the week that United have started their succession planning to replace Solskjaer as manager, with Leicester City coach Brendan Rodgers their preferred candidate.
Rodgers, 48, is under contract at Leicester until June 2023 and United would have to agree on a fee with Leicester to release Rodgers and pay compensation to Solskjaer for his dismissal.
United figures are impressed by Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag and the Spain coach Luis Enrique, but Rodgers has been provisionally identified as the most suitable successor to Solskjaer.
