Mourinho sacked - as it happened: Manchester United manager leaves club with immediate effect

Latest news, updates and reaction after Mourinho leaves United with immediate effect

Jose Mourinho faces the press after Manchester United lose to Liverpool

Jose Mourinho left Manchester United with immediate effect on Tuesday morning.

The Portuguese leaves with United sixth in the table with the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday proving his final game in charge.

A club statement read: "Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."

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Key Points

• Jose Mourinho has left Manchester United with immediate effect
• The Portuguese leaves with United seventh with just seven wins all season
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Laurent Blanc in frame to be interim boss
• Mauricio Pochettino refuses to answer questions over United job
• The inside story of Mourinho's sacking

[18 December 2018 17:00 · Ben Burrows]

  ↵United have bitten the bullet and made the big decision.

Mark Critchley explains why it's the right one.

[18 December 2018 17:34 · Samuel Lovett]

Here's northern football correspondent Mark Critchley with his take on Jose Mourinho's dismissal:

[18 December 2018 18:12 · Samuel Lovett]

  ↵It looks like Manchester United have set their long-term sights on Mauricio Pochettino - but it's going to take a lot to hire him: 

[18 December 2018 20:33 · Samuel Lovett]

A late update from chief football writer Miguel Delaney:

***

Manchester United have held advanced talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to replace Jose Mourinho as manager.

The club want to appoint a stand-in for the rest of the season before the weekend, with a view to re-assess their managerial position in the summer, and a key requirement is someone who understands the club culture after the perceived divisions fostered under Mourinho. 

As a club legend Solskjaer fits the mould, and it is understood the players are expected to be told he will be their next manager on Tuesday night.

Many of them at the same time feel that coach and former Michael Carrick could be a good stand-in option, as he is hugely popular among the players. 

The former midfielder will naturally be kept on if Solskjaer is appointed, but Mike Phelan will return to the club in an assistant role. He left when Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and sources say that the Scot has been actively consulted throughout the process of replacing Mourinho.

If a deal is agreed, United will activate a clause in Solskjaer's contract with current club Molde.

Laurent Blanc is seen as a contender, but is understood to have had reservations about a short-term role.

[18 December 2018 22:45 · Jack Watson]

Have Manchester United let something out of the bag?

[18 December 2018 23:31 · Samuel Lovett]

A final piece to get stuck into as we bring the blog to a close - thanks for joining folks!