Two reasons why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer return could quickly turn toxic at Manchester United

Manchester United are widely expected to turn back the clock and appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker head coach in the coming days.

INEOS are actively searching for a short-term solution to replace Ruben Amorim, who was sacked on Monday morning.

Solskjaer currently leads the race, although Michael Carrick remains firmly in the frame as United weigh up who can steady the club through a turbulent second half of the season.

For supporters, Solskjaer is a deeply familiar face, having overseen a period of relative stability between December 2018 and November 2021.

There are two major obstacles that could prevent Solskjaer from replicating past success at Old Trafford.

Core coaching team absent

The Norwegian once guided United to second and third-place finishes in the Premier League, achievements that feel distant now.

While he rightly received praise, that success was built on a strong and trusted backroom staff.

Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick were instrumental on the training ground.

McKenna is now carving out his own path at Ipswich Town, while Carrick has emerged as a direct competitor for the caretaker role.

Without those two trusted lieutenants, Solskjaer would be forced to rebuild his coaching support from scratch.

Extracting peak performance from a fractured squad without his proven tactical minds would be a significant challenge.

Lack of academy representation

Solskjaer once managed a dressing room filled with Carrington graduates who instinctively understood the club’s values.

Players like Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Mason Greenwood, Axel Tuanzebe and James Garner all felt a deep connection to Solskjaer’s journey at United.

That core has now been dismantled.
Rashford is on loan at Barcelona, while the rest have either moved on or faded from the picture entirely.

Kobbie Mainoo remains the only academy product with a consistent role in the senior setup.

Without that shared identity and emotional bond, Solskjaer would need to work far harder to inspire belief.

Motivating a squad built largely on external recruitment rather than club culture will be his toughest test.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .