Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, amid claims the 48-year-old should lose his job.
The Norwegian has guided his side to three Premier League wins from their opening four matches. However, after seeing his side lose 2-1 to Young Boys on Tuesday night, some fans have called on him to go.
Back in the summer, United decided to give Solskjaer a three-year contract.
And they’ve since backed the Norwegian in the summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, while United have started strongly in the Premier League, their Champions League defeat to Young Boys on Tuesday night has stirred anger amongst the supporters.
Many had expected the Red Devils to cruise to victory.
However, Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s red card and Jesse Lingard’s late mistake ultimately cost them dear.
With Antonio Conte available, the Italian is the overwhelming favourite to take over at Old Trafford should Solskjaer oversee a nightmare run of results.
And Woodward has insisted the club are fully behind the 48-year-old, insisting he’s the right man to lead them as they seek a long-awaited league title.
Ahead of the release of United’s annual financial results, he said: “We significantly strengthened the squad over the summer, with the addition of Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Tom Heaton.
“These signings have demonstrated our continued ability to attract some of the world’s best footballers to Old Trafford, and our firm commitment to helping Ole deliver success on the pitch.
“While squad-building is a constant process, we are more confident than ever that we are on the right track.
“This was made possible by the strength of our operating model, with sustained investment in the team underpinned by robust commercial revenues.
“We have been clear in our strategy to build a squad with a blend of top-class recruits and homegrown talent, comprising a balance of youth and experience, with the aim of winning trophies and playing attacking football the Manchester United way.
“Everyone associated with Manchester United can be proud of the resilience we have shown through the challenges created by the pandemic and we look forward to the rest of the season and beyond with great optimism.
“As we review our financial results for the 2021 fiscal year, there is little doubt that those 12 months were among the most challenging in the history of Manchester United.
“While the financial impact from the pandemic is visible, our continued underlying strength is also clear to see and everyone associated with the club can be proud of the resilience we have shown through these most testing of times.
“The most important part of this recovery is the return of fans to Old Trafford and it has been fantastic to see and hear the stadium full for the first time in almost 18 months.
“On the pitch, the team has made a strong start in the league, and everyone at the club is feeling excited about the rest of the campaign.”
Woodward also revealed United’s strong financial position has helped them cope with the coronavirus crisis, too.
But he warned football is at a crossroads, with spiralling wages and transfer fees putting a massive financial burden on many clubs.
“It is not an accident that we have been able to invest this summer at a time when many clubs have been retrenching,” said Woodward.
“This reflects the strong commercial model we have built over many years, ensuring that our spending is always underpinned by revenues that we generate ourselves.
“However, while we are confident in our relative strength, it remains clear that football as a whole faces major financial challenges caused by years of material inflation in wages and transfer fees, exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic.
“We are committed to working within the Premier League, the ECA and UEFA to promote greater financial sustainability at all levels of the game.”
United are next in action against West Ham on Sunday.
And they’ll be hoping for a repeat of what happened last term, with Paul Pogba starring as they won 3-1 at the London Stadium.