Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finds himself on increasingly shaky ground and the going might be about to get even tougher for Manchester United’s embattled manager.
It isn’t just the dreadful state of the pitch at Prenton Park that threatens to swamp Solskjaer and his under-performing stars tomorrow.
An unlikely FA Cup upset at the hands of League One Tranmere Rovers followed by what feels like inevitable defeat in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final against a Manchester City team leading 3-1 from the first leg would certainly ramp up the pressure.
United maintain that Solskjaer’s job is not under threat. There remains a genuine desire to see him succeed, and it seems unlikely that he would be sacked before the end of the season.
But with a two-week winter break on the horizon and Mauricio Pochettino still available, Solskjaer knows there aren’t any guarantees in football.
Fans turned on the Glazer family and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward during Wednesday’s shocking home defeat by Burnley.
‘We know how football is nowadays,’ Solskjaer conceded yesterday. ‘But all my conversations with the club have been positive. Of course, everyone’s down because we don’t win.
‘It’s understandable that supporters sometimes air their frustrations when it’s not great on the pitch. We can’t react to all the noise outside. You’ve got to take the criticism at this club.
‘You’ve got to be stronger mentally probably than anywhere else in the world. I feel I am.
‘I’ve been trusted by the club and that rebuild doesn’t go one way all the time. There are ups and downs.’
Solskjaer pointed to Jurgen Klopp’s success at Liverpool as proof of what can be achieved with time. ‘You can see Jurgen spent four years building his team and they’re doing well now. It’s not going to be a quick fix,’ he said.