Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is ‘in pole position’ to be named Manchester United manager on a permanent basis, according to reports.
Solskjaer has guided United to six wins from six since replacing Jose Mourinho as the club’s caretaker manager in December, and he came through his biggest test to date over the weekend, securing a 1-0 defeat of Tottenham.
The north Londoners’ boss, Mauricio Pochettino, has long been considered favourite to become United’s next permanent boss, joining the club when Solskjaer’s contract expires at the end of the season.
However, according to The Sun, Solskjaer is now in line for the job having impressed the Old Trafford hierarchy throughout his first month in the United hot seat.
Ed Woodward, the club’s executive vice-chairman, is claimed to have congratulated Solskajer after the defeat of Tottenham, visiting the Wembley dressing room to praise the Norwegian for the job he is doing.
United were planning on waiting until May before making a decision on their next manager, but the report suggests this could be brought forward if Solskjaer continues to impress as he has been doing.
The Old Trafford club have a couple of tricky cup fixtures coming up over the next month, with a trip to Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round next weekend, before Paris Saint-Germain visit United in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie in the first few weeks of February.
However, their Premier League matches throughout the same period are all very winnable, with Leicester their only opponents out of the next four to currently sit in the top 10 of the table. As well as the trip to the King Power Stadium, United host Brighton and Burnley and also visit Fulham.
