Ole Gunnar Solskjær is scheduled to hold face-to-face talks with Manchester United this weekend regarding the interim manager position. The club is seeking to appoint someone to manage the team for the remainder of the season, following their decision to relieve Ruben Amorim of his duties on Monday after 14 months in charge.
Solskjær is considered a frontrunner for the role and is expected to meet with Manchester United's chief executive, Omar Berrada, and director of football, Jason Wilcox, at the club's Carrington training base on Saturday. Michael Carrick, who previously worked as a first-team coach under Solskjær and also had a brief spell as interim manager, is also a strong candidate and reportedly interviewed for the position on Thursday.
Darren Fletcher, the current caretaker manager, is also in contention, though Solskjær and Carrick are the favorites. Fletcher, who is the Under-18s coach at United, oversaw the team's 2-2 draw against Burnley on Wednesday and will manage the FA Cup tie against Brighton on Sunday. When questioned about his long-term future with the club, Fletcher stated that he is in communication with Omar and Jason and has been focusing on preparing the team for the upcoming games. He said he has been given full responsibility to lead the team and make his own decisions for these two games.
Solskjær previously served as Manchester United's manager after José Mourinho's departure in December 2018. He was initially appointed in an interim capacity before securing the permanent role in March 2019. During his tenure, he led the team to a second-place finish in the Premier League in the 2020/21 season and reached the Europa League final. However, he was eventually dismissed in November 2021.
The Manchester United hierarchy, led by Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, will have a significant decision to make after meeting with both Solskjær and Carrick. One potential scenario is that United will hire either Solskjær or Carrick individually. Another possibility is that they might consider rekindling the partnership between Solskjær and Carrick, similar to their time together between 2018 and 2021. A final option would be to keep Fletcher in charge until the end of the season.
The decision is expected to be communicated early next week. In the meantime, Darren Fletcher will be aiming for a strong performance in the FA Cup match against Brighton this weekend, which could potentially improve his chances of remaining in charge. Following the FA Cup match, United are scheduled to play against Manchester City in the Premier League.
