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Solskjaer set to be sacked, as Man United ponder £7.5m severance pay

By Ifeanyi Ibeh
21 November 2021   |   10:29 am
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to be sacked by Manchester United after another Premier League defeat. The club’s co-chairman Joel Glazer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward held an emergency meeting after the 4-1 defeat to Watford on Saturday afternoon where it became apparent Solskjaer’s position was severely under threat. According to a report in the…

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer applauds the fans after the final whistle during the Premier League match at Vicarage Road, Watford. (Photo: AFP)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to be sacked by Manchester United after another Premier League defeat.

The club’s co-chairman Joel Glazer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward held an emergency meeting after the 4-1 defeat to Watford on Saturday afternoon where it became apparent Solskjaer’s position was severely under threat.

According to a report in the Times of London, an emergency virtual board meeting was called by the Glazer family during the second half of the match and within the talks, the group managing director, Richard Arnold, was instructed to negotiate the precise terms of Solskajer’s departure with the Norwegian.

It is believed that it would cost United about £7.5 million in severance pay to end his three-year tenure.

Solskjaer signed a new contract in August but his deal is understood to include a one-season compensation payment should he be sacked.

Darren Fletcher, the club’s technical director, is poised to take temporary charge.

United’s board had continued to back Solskjaer through this run of bad form and, even after the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, there was belief that the Norwegian was the right person to deliver the project they have been building for nearly three years.

Going into the international break after the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, the United manager was not told that his position was under immediate threat. However, the board knew that it would be a big task to turn this season around.

Solskjaer was asked in his post-match press conference if he believed he was still the best person to lead United forward.

He replied: “I always have belief in myself, of course, at the minute it’s a difficult time for us. I can see, I can trust every single one out there to give their all. Staff are fantastic. But the results are difficult. I believe we can turn this around.”

At full-time, Solskjaer went over to the away fans still inside Vicarage Road to applaud and put his hands up to apologise for another defeat.

Bruno Fernandes appeared to become annoyed with the reaction of some of the support, who booed the Norwegian. The Portuguese gesticulated with his arms, suggesting the supporters should be blaming the players for another awful performance.

It was a sentiment that was echoed in David de Gea’s post-match interview as the Spaniard says the players were to blame for the defeat.

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