Manchester United have been told their top-four rivals want Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to stay put as manager.
As the dust continues to settle on that heavy and humiliating defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool, the Premier League giants take on Tottenham in north London this afternoon (5.30pm).
Pressure has been mounting on Solskjaer since the 5-0 defeat at Old Trafford. However, with no succession plan in place, key figures in the boardroom have stood by their man for the time being, although Antonio Conte and other potential successors continue to be linked with the role.
Given how United have struggled for form this season, surprise candidates will be praying for Solskjaer and his men to register victory versus Tottenham.
That's according to Sky Sports pundit and former Arsenal playmaker Paul Merson.
Pointing to the Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel example in his latest column, Merson said: "Everybody in and around the race for top-four and Europe - West Ham, Arsenal, Leicester City - will be sweating on Manchester United winning at Tottenham.
"The damning thing is they will want Manchester United to win so that Solskjaer stays.
"You've only got to look at Chelsea since Thomas Tuchel come in, they won the Champions League and now they're title favourites. See what an impact a new manager could have."
Merson added: "I'm not sure if the game at Tottenham is must-win for Manchester United.
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"If it is and the club are keeping a manager in place with his future hanging perilously before every game, is that the right way of doing things? You can't keep a manager's job on the line before every game, because you've got to ask where is the club going?
"But you just know what's going to happen. Manchester United will beat Tottenham and everything will be okay for another week. Manchester United are going around in circles."
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