Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suggested the quick turnaround in matches has contributed to Manchester United's delay in confirming Mike Phelan as their permanent assistant manager.
Phelan, 56, returned to United with Solskjaer in December five-and-a-half years after he was let go by Sir Alex Ferguson's successor David Moyes. Despite undistinguished spells as first-team coach at Norwich and manager at Hull, Phelan's impact alongside Solskjaer has been widely heralded and the MEN revealed last week he is expected to stay on as the Norwegian's assistant.
Solskjaer's unveiling on Thursday was described as 'Ole's day' by club sources since United did not want to detract from the significance of Solskjaer's full-time appointment. Phelan and Mark Dempsey were the only other external coaches who joined Solskjaer at United and both are set to stay on.
United hosted Watford on Saturday and travel to Wolves in the Premier League on Tuesday but then have to wait eight days until they host Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final first leg. Solskjaer indicated Phelan, who is still contracted to Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners as their sporting director, would thrash out an agreement with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward during the free week.
"We had the Watford game, now Wolves," Solskjaer said. "I think Ed and Mick will get things sorted very soon. He's a key part of the club anyway, and the set-up."
Phelan spent six years at United as a player between 1989 and 1994 before he was drafted onto Sir Alex Ferguson's coaching staff in 2001. Phelan succeeded Carlos Queiroz as Ferguson's last assistant manager in 2008 before they both left in 2013.
United won three Premier League titles, two League Cups and the Club World Cup during Phelan's five seasons as number two. In the two league campaigns they failed to clinch the championship, they finished runners up by a point to Chelsea in 2010 and on goal difference to Manchester City in 2012.
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