Manchester United news: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed as interim manager as club chase Mauricio Pochettino

Jose Mourinho's last press conference as Man United manager

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed as Manchester United's next manager.

Jose Mourinho was sacked after two-and-a-half years in charge on Tuesday morning after a disappointing start to the season with the 3-1 Premier League defeat to Liverpool on Sunday proving the last straw. Solskjaer takes over as caretaker boss alongside former assistant Mike Phelan with the club considering their options for the long-term successor.

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Key Points

• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed as Manchester United's next manager
• Jose Mourinho was sacked after two-and-a-half years in charge on Tuesday morning
• Mauricio Pochettino is club's No 1 choice as long-term successor to Mourinho
• The inside story of Mourinho's sacking at United
• What will Solskjaer bring to United?

[19 December 2018 13:35 · Ben Burrows]

Jose Mourinho has refused to open up on his sacking by Manchester United yesterday.

While walking near his London home when asked about his next move, he said: "No, you know me. You know me. Let me walk. I have nothing to say.

"You know me, if you want to walk with me then let's walk to Battersea. I have nothing to say."

[19 December 2018 13:44 · Ben Burrows]

Jaap Stam believes Pochettino is the "best choice" to succeed Mourinho long-term.

"He is the best choice," he told Sky Sports News. "He's got a lot of experience working in the UK with Southampton and Tottenham. He's good in building a team, plays attractive football, playing out from the back to score goals and win games. I would say that's my choice.

"I think they can [get him]. There's been a discussion at Spurs about not spending money on players, I think he is the type of manager who wants to invest every year and improve - at United he gets to do that.

"They've got the money to do that. For him that would be the ultimate step."

[19 December 2018 14:05 · Ben Burrows]

Jermain Defoe has labelled Jose Mourinho “an amazing human being” after expressing his surprise at his Manchester United dismissal, with the former England striker revealing a touching conversation that took place in the days after Bradley Lowery died.

Defoe became close friends with the late six-year-old Sunderland fan who sadly died in July 2017 after a long battle with neuroblastoma, which led to an outpouring of support within the football community.

Lowery’s brave attitude to battling the illness, which is a rare form of cancer, and warm smile that was seen at games across the Premier League as well as with England, helped to raise awareness of neuroblastoma as well as raise funds for his treatment and the Bradley Lowery Foundation that has been set up by his family in his honour.

But following the news that Mourinho had been sacked as United manager on Tuesday, Defoe revealed a touching story about the Portuguese that had not been made public before.

[19 December 2018 14:30 · Ben Burrows]

Steven Caulker, who played for Solskjaer at Cardiff, does not believe the Norwegian's record in the Welsh capital is a fair reflection of his managerial ability.

"Ole came into a bit of a crisis I think it's fair to say," he told Sky Sports News.

"(Malky) Mackay had just been sacked and the club was in a bit of disarray. Ole came in to a difficult job but he sat us all down and told us he wanted to play attractive football. He had the players to do that.

"He worked tirelessly on and off the pitch to save the club but unfortunately it wasn't to be that year...

"It was a difficult year, there was a lot going on at the club and it would have been difficult for anyone to manage."

[19 December 2018 14:50 · Ben Burrows]

The Manchester United Supporters' Trust have released a statement in support of Solskjaer's appointment.

United need a lift and our ultimate super-sub, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is just the man for the job. He’s been a long-term backer of fans and a patron of MUST, so we know he understands our support and what we are looking for from a manager. 

Whilst Ole is at the helm, the club needs to make the big structural changes to equip us to compete in modern football. The Club must put football expertise in charge of football decisions, especially in respect of selection of the next manager and player transfers. 

Manchester United fans have shown phenomenal support to the team through the recent difficult period. We know all fans will continue to back the team and we expect to see the players giving their all for the Club and the supporters. 

We know Ole will.

[19 December 2018 15:04 · Ben Burrows]

More from Mourinho who has once again been acosted by Sky Sports News this afternoon.

"I keep the good things and I don't speak about anything that happened in the club. I could speak about not as good but that's not me.

"Manchester United has a future without me and I have a future without Manchester United.

"It's over, that's me and that's how I've always been. I was always very critical of managers that leave clubs and then they come out and they speak about the details of what happened, who is to blame. That's not me.

"Until I get back to football I feel I have to right to live my normal life."

[19 December 2018 15:13 · Ben Burrows]

This tells us a great deal.

[19 December 2018 15:35 · Ben Burrows]

Why go for Solskjaer over a more proven steady hand?

Miguel Delaney believes it's more of a case of why not?

Allow him to explain:

[19 December 2018 16:00 · Ben Burrows]

Solskjaer has a nice-guy image, but former Old Trafford teammate Henning Berg says there's more to him than that.

"I think he's got good experience," he says. "And he's got people with him in Mike Phelan and Michael Carrick who can help him and have experience as well.

"Ole is a very clever man. Don't be fooled by his young face. He's got steel in his eyes as well and he will be able to handle his players in his way. It will be a different approach with Solskjaer.

"His mentality and his way of doing things, I think he might get a lot of energy and get the players playing again for the club to their best level."

[19 December 2018 16:30 · Ben Burrows]

Former Everton and Norway goalkeeper Thomas Myhre says Solskjaer will have learned from his previous experience of the Premier League.

"I understand about the thing in Cardiff, but he did a few things there that turned out to be mistakes," he said.

"He brought in three Norwegians who didn't really take to the level, he swapped around the squad a lot because he was used to that at Molde and used to that at United, but with a squad that needed confidence it was probably not the right thing to do.

"But I think he's experienced a lot from doing that."