Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is seemingly in a perilous position after Manchester United were knocked out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig on Tuesday night.
Needing a point to progress, and avoid dropping into the Europa League, United were beaten 3-2 in their final Group H game.
The result has seen Solskjaer priced as the new favourite with Sky Bet in the next Premier League manager to leave market - a position he has been all too familiar with during a seesaw two years at Old Trafford.
With his side taking on Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at the weekend, the Norwegian could be heading for the most crucial match of his managerial career.
Premier League sack race odds
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - 2/1
- Chris Wilder - 5/2
- Slaven Bilic - 4/1
- Mikel Arteta - 11/2
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Odds correct at 22:20 GMT (08/12/20)
“We didn’t perform as a team well enough and that’s always the manager’s responsibility, to get everyone ready,” Solskjaer said.
“We knew they were going to come at us, we knew they were going to put crosses in the box and unfortunately we conceded two goals and we never got going.
“In games earlier (this season) when we’ve conceded the first goal, we’ve played pretty well. But we just didn’t turn up until they scored the second goal. Suddenly then we started playing again.
“I think back and look at this season and look at the players and I actually admire them for being as ready as they are at times.
“Today it just didn’t work for us. It is a difficult season, there are difficult circumstances this year and of course we were up for it and the character and effort I can’t fault.”
Although United fell just short of a remarkable comeback, they were nowhere near their opponents' level in Germany, and defeat was exactly what they deserved.
They got off to the worst possible start as Leipzig's on-loan Man City left-back Angelino rifled in a low shot.
Angelino turned provider soon after, crossing for Amadou Haidara to turn home at the back post and give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side a mountain to climb. It was pretty much over with 20 minutes to play as moments after Bruno Fernandes hit the bar with a free-kick, Justin Kluivert scored a third for the hosts.
A Fernandes penalty, and Paul Pogba header - deflected off the back of Harry Maguire - in the final 10 minutes set up a grandstand finish, but it was too little too late.
😱 Manchester United crash out of the Champions League in the group stages after a 3-2 defeat at Leipzig.pic.twitter.com/lFUvGBRLye
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) December 8, 2020
It capped a miserable collapse to their 2020/21 Champions League campaign, having started with a win at last season’s runners-up Paris St Germain and a 5-0 home thrashing of Leipzig.
The Red Devils undid much of that fine work by losing away at Istanbul Basaksehir, but victory over the Turkish champions in the reverse fixture meant their qualification destiny remained firmly in their own hands.
However, United could not gather the solitary point required from their final two matches to reach the knockout phase, as poor defending lay at the heart of both last week’s loss to PSG and defeat in Leipzig.
Champions League round-up
Paris St Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir walked off the pitch in their Champions League match after alleged racial abuse towards the Turkish side’s assistant manager Pierre Webo from fourth official Sebastian Coltescu.
Basaksehir number two Webo exchanged words with Coltescu, having apparently been sent off, before an angry response from the visitors’ bench. Both teams returned to their dressing rooms after 23 minutes of the Group H game in Paris.
The remainder of the game will be played on Wednesday at 1755GMT with a new team of match officials, UEFA announced.
PSG need to win to take top spot ahead of RB Leipzig.
Two penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus beat Barcelona 3-0 and top Group G.
The former Real Madrid forward scored in either half with Weston McKennie netting in between as Ronaldo got the better of his old rival Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp. Dynamo Kiev beat Ferencvaros 1-0 as they clinched third spot in the group.
Chelsea won Group E ahead of Sevilla after a 1-1 draw with Krasnador at Stamford Bridge. Jorginho’s penalty cancelled out Remy Cabella’s surprise opener as Frank Lampard’s side topped the group by a point. Sevilla won 3-1 at Rennes.
In Group F, Lazio qualified for the last 16 for the first time since 1999 after drawing 2-2 with Club Brugge. Group winners Borussia Dortmund recovered from 1-0 down to win 2-1 at Zenit St Petersburg.
