Under-fire Solskjaer faces fight to save his job

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has effectively been given three games to save his job as Manchester United manager.

Although senior sources insist it is not ‘‘absolute’’ that Solskjaer will be replaced if results continue to deteriorate before the next international break, the 48-year-old knows he is under serious threat and more poor results would make the situation untenable.

In fact, United are understood to have started the search for a new manager should Solskjaer be sacked, and part of the reason for delaying the decision is to give themselves more time.

United face Tottenham Hotspur away on Sunday, then are away to Atalanta in the Champions League next Wednesday before a home game against Manchester City the following Sunday.

However, so precarious is the situation, with the pressure growing, a change may be made before then if there is a repeat this weekend of Monday’s 5-0 humiliation against Liverpool . Either way, Solskjaer has been given no guarantees that he will remain in charge beyond the fixture at Tottenham.

Interestingly, though, the mood at the club’s Carrington training ground was turning to one of defiance on yesterday as the players returned after a day off and there was a sense of wanting to get behind the beleaguered manager.

Solskjaer addressed the squad and went through some of the recent failings in the hope of drawing a line under them and also creating something of a ‘‘siege mentality’’ given the criticism United have faced.

Alex Ferguson and former chief executive Martin Edwards were at the facility, but it was for a preplanned appointment and there were no talks with Solskjaer who arrived early having also been there on Tuesday when his future was discussed.

Sources insist there was a growing determination to ‘‘turn things around so that Ole can remain as our manager’’ but there have been no assurances following talks with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and managing director Richard Arnold, even if they are understood to want to remain supportive.

The fact that the executives, who have also been in consultation with co-chairman Joel Glazer, the head of the American family’s ownership who will make the final decision, want to give Solskjaer more time is clearly because they have supported him from the start and are desperate for him to succeed. Solskjaer has told them he believes he is up to the job.

United are aware that former Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte wants the job, but the club is divided as to whether the Italian is the right manager – with his perceived combative style – despite his undoubted coaching achievements.

Contact is yet to be made with Conte and United were left badly scarred by the experience of being managed by Jose Mourinho. Conte would also demand a degree of control that the club may not be willing to give him.

Another potential candidate, the former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, has shown no interest in joining the Premier League and is understood to prefer a move back to France to resume his coaching career.