United appoint Solskjaer as permanent manager

Manchester United have appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as permanent manager on a three-year deal.

The former United forward has won 14 of his 19 games in charge of the Red Devils and has breathed new life into their charge for the top four, having collected 32 points from a possible 39 since his appointment.

The Norwegian was appointed on an interim basis in December following the sacking of Jose Mourinho after a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool left them 11 points adrift of fourth. Since Solskjaer has come in, the gap has been cut to just two.

The decision to make the hero of United’s 1999 Champions League victory was announced on the club website with the new permanent manager speaking of his excitement.

“From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club. It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here.

“The last few months have been a fantastic experience and I want to thank all of the coaches, players and staff for the work we’ve done so far.

“This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve.”

Although the announcement to appoint Solskjaer comes off back-to-back defeats to Arsenal in the Premier League and Wolves in the FA Cup, the former Cardiff City manager has guided United to wins over Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and a memorable comeback victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The 46-year-old oversaw a streak of nine away wins in a row, the longest ever by a United team in all competitions.

Executive Vice Chairman Ed Woodward gave a glowing assessment of United’s fourth manager since 2013.

“Since coming in as caretaker manager in December, the results Ole has delivered speak for themselves.

“More than just performances and results, Ole brings a wealth of experience, both as a player and a coach, coupled with a desire to give young players their chance and a deep understanding of the culture of the club. This all means that he is the right person to take Manchester United forward.”

United’s next game is at home to Watford in the Premier League before a trip to Wolves. They then host Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.