Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now among the front runners to be the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season after Manchester United were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Everton.
It means they have dropped four points at Old Trafford in their last two games having suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend - although this result also felt almost as grim for Red Devils fans.
Solskjaer's decision to bench Cristiano Ronaldo in the 1-1 draw backfired as they struggled to carve out many decent chances apart from Anthony Martial’s first-half opener and despite bossing the possession (71%), they had just as many shots as Everton (12) and also lost the xG battle (0.99 - 1.21).
Fans were also incensed by images showing him smiling at the full-time whistle even though it's highly unlikely it was regarding the result.
Solskjaer shortening in sack race
The United boss is now 6/1 with Paddy Power to in the Premier League sack race although the favourite in the market remains Watford manager Xisco Munoz (9/4) ahead of Tottenham's Nuno (5/1) and Arsenal's Mikel Arteta (6/1).
United boss Solskjaer was disappointed to have been pegged back on the counter-attack.
He told BT Sport: “Part of it was really good. I thought we started well, high energy, created some good openings and scored a fantastic goal and coming in to half-time 1-0, you’re pleased.
“Second half, we lacked that cutting edge to get the second, which is vital in a game like this because from a corner that we have, you concede five seconds later, so that was the disappointing bit.
“We gave them a few counter-attacks. I don’t know the stats – I know that we had the ball most of the time. They didn’t play through us at all really, they counter-attacked, and that was the same on Wednesday night.
“We need to be better at when to risk it, how not to be counter-attacked. That’s the key lesson today because they do create big chances on quick breaks.”
A frustrated Ronaldo headed straight down the tunnel after the final whistle, and former United defender Rio Ferdinand admitted he could understand his reaction.
Ferdinand told BT Sport: “He’s disappointed, obviously, at the result. I understand that, we’ve all been there.
“It will be a mixture of things. He’s scored five in five, he’s a man in form, he’ll have wanted to continue that vein of form and get goals and shoot his team to victory on a day like today.
“But I understand frustrations and it comes out sometimes like that. Pogba was straight down the tunnel after him, both probably disappointed.
“But you have to say a club like Manchester United with the depth they have in their squad should be still able to get this game done.”
Who are the candidates to replace Solskjaer?
The candidates to replace Solskjaer are led by former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, according to the odds.
Conte, who only last season won the Serie A title with Inter Milan before leaving the club, is the 2/1 favourite to be the next permanent Manchester United manager, ahead of current PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino (5/1) and current Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers (8/1).
Next Permanent Manchester United Manager odds (via Sky Bet)
- 2/1 - Antonio Conte
- 5/1 - Mauricio Pochettino
- 8/1 - Brendan Rodgers
- 10/1 - Julen Lopetegui
- 12/1 - Laurent Blanc, Zinedine Zidane
- 14/1 - Erik ten Hag
- 16/1 - Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto Mancini
- 20/1 - Gareth Southgate
Odds correct at 1600 (02/10/21)
Former Spain and Real Madrid manager, Julen Lopetegui, is currently in charge at Sevilla and has done an excellent job since taking over at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, would be an interesting appointment, as would Zinedine Zidane, who won numerous titles alongside Cristiano Ronaldo as manager of Real Madrid.
Former Manchester United defender Laurent Blanc is the same price as Zidane to be the next manager according to the odds, while the two coaches that went head-to-head in the Euro 2020 final, Roberto Mancini and Gareth Southgate, are priced at 16/1 and 20/1 respectively.
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