Three Manchester United players back Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for manager’s job

Manchester United’s players are convinced that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be handed the manager job on a full-time basis.

The shock turnaround against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night to overturn a two-goal deficit and reach the Champions League quarter-final draw was yet another indicator that the Norwegian has earned the opportunity to take charge permanently ahead of Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Read more: Little by little, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is restoring Manchester United’s regal swagger

Pochettino was the preferred choice when Jose Mourinho was sacked back in December and Solskjaer was only initial intended to work on an interim basis, on loan from Norwegian side Molde where he was manager, to return an environment and ethos to a club which had badly lost its way since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013.

Rolling back the years

Despite the incredible improvement in domestic form, after the first leg defeat to PSG at Old Trafford the Champions League appeared a step beyond United’s caretaker, yet the way in which they won the tie in stoppage time, through Marcus Rashford’s penalty, was reminiscent of United’s great European nights under Ferguson.

Read more: Marcus Rashford penalty stuns PSG as Manchester United pull off Mission Impossible

“I think it has been decided,” striker Romelu Lukaku, who scored twice against PSG, said. “I think he is going to get it, he should be [the next manager].

“If you look at the games that we played, the first four games were against — with all respect — lesser opposition.

“But then when we won at Tottenham away, Chelsea away, then Arsenal in the FA Cup, now this game today. What else does he have to do? I know he’s going to stay, there’s no doubt about that.

“He wants to stay, the players want him to stay. We’re doing really well, we’re playing like Manchester United should play. He’s a young coach, he has young players as well so it’s the perfect environment to develop and hopefully win trophies in the future.”

‘We all love Ole’

Defender Luke Shaw, whose life at United was made particularly difficult by Mourinho, echoed his team-mate’s calls.

Read more: Manchester United penalty vs PSG: Was referee correct to award spot kick?

“I don’t think I need to say much after all these results, it looks certain [Solskjaer will get the job],” Shaw said. “We all love Ole and we love the job he’s done so far. We’re enjoying everything that’s going on at the moment and the results have shown that.

“We’ve had a couple of blips but that’s nine away matches [won in a row] now, they’re not easy games, but it shows what sort of job Ole and his staff have done. Long may that continue.”

Ashley Young added: “It’s not down to the players to decide. If you look from the outside you’d say ‘why not?’ He’s been fantastic since he’s come in, a breath of fresh air.”