Nicky Butt has told Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he must win trophies in order to keep the fans on his side.
Solskjaer has had a positive time at United since taking over from Jose Mourinho on a temporary basis in December 2018, before earning the job on a permanent basis in March 2019.
While the club are yet to win a trophy in his tenure, Solskjaer has built a squad ready to challenge on all fronts.
Last season’s Europa League final defeat to Villarreal on penalties was the closest they have got to winning silverware under the Norwegian.
This season’s mixed start in both the Premier League and Champions League - not to mention the abysmal showing in the Carabao Cup, which saw them knocked out at the first hurdle to West Ham United - has seen a shift in the mood towards Solskjaer amongst the fan base.
After the summer signings of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and the sensational return of Cristiano Ronaldo, Butt has warned his former teammate that silverware is needed this season or he risks the United supporters turning.
“A long-standing friend joined the club,” Butt told The Athletic when asked how he felt when Solskjaer returned as a manager. “I thought it was great. He knew the club, knew the academy, knew the first team and had played for it. I felt like United were back when he came back.
"It wasn’t like Jose [Mourinho] or Louis [Van Gaal] weren’t great, but they took time to know the club before they were off and running.
“Things are getting better and Ole has done a very good job. There’s a lot of love for Ole from fans, but that only takes you so far with fans. The biggest challenge for Ole now is to go and produce — to win a title or trophies. He’ll know that deep down, he’s a very intelligent guy.
"It’s a business that needs to win and there has been huge investment into that business so it’s calling out to win.”
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