Next Manchester United manager: Mauricio Pochettino blocked from answering questions on Old Trafford vacancy by Tottenham

Sky Sports were prevented from asking Pochettino questions about the Old Trafford vacancy

Tottenham Hotspur stopped Mauricio Pochettino from answering questions about Manchester United and his future, at a club press conference ahead of the team’s match at Everton on Sunday.

The Old Trafford club’s interest in Pochettino has dominated the news agenda since Jose Mourinho’s sacking on Tuesday , with questions about it already put to the Argentine on the day before Wednesday’s League Cup win over Arsenal.

Sky Sports attempted to ask another question about the situation - although ultimately about how Southampton’s Les Reed said Pochettino never lost focus when there were stories about him initially moving to Spurs in 2014 - only for Tottenham Head of Communications Simon Felstein to interrupt and block the question.

The club do not want the speculation to dominate every media appearance the manager now makes, although it is set to be on the news agenda until United do eventually get a new permanent manager, whoever that may be. Pochettino is known to be their number-one target for the summer.

Spurs actually host United on 13 January in the Premier League, with the build-up set to be consumed by questions over the manager’s future.

For his part, Pochettino saw the situation in a good-natured mature, and joked his press officer would be the star.

Former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been put in temporary charge until the summer, when the club will appoint a full-time successor with Pochettino the club's No 1 choice.

The appointment of Solskjaer, who will take a break from his job as manager of Norwegian side Molde, was confirmed on Wednesday morning, with Sir Alex Ferguson's former assistant Mike Phelan also returning as first-team coach.

The pair will link up at United with Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna with the new-look coaching team taking training on Thursday.

Solskjaer established his status as a club legend on the pitch with his dramatic Champions League winner in 1999 to seal the treble and cut his coaching teeth as reserve team boss.

His first match in charge will come on Saturday evening against former club Cardiff, where he spent an unhappy spell as manager in 2014.

Solskjaer said: "Manchester United is in my heart and it's brilliant to be coming back in this role. I'm really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club."